Princeton University Athletics
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Johnson Leads US Women's National Team to FINA World Championship Gold
August 10, 2015 | Women's Water Polo
COMPLETE RESULTS
PRINCETON, N.J. – Led by Princeton University standout Ashleigh Johnson, the United States senior women's water polo team captured its fourth FINA World Championship in 12 years with a 5-4 victory over the Netherlands in Kazan, Russia.Named the match MVP and the tournament's top goalkeeper, Johnson recorded 12 saves, including a crucial penalty shot stop in the fourth period. In seven games for Team USA at the World Championship, Johnson racked up 66 saves. Posting 15 saves in an 8-5 quarterfinal win over Spain, she had 10 stops in an 8-6 semifinal victory over Australia.
Earlier this summer, Johnson helped the United States to gold medals at the Pan Am Games, the Kushan Cup, and the FINA World League Super Final. Tallying 16 saves in two showings at the Kushan Cup, she turned away 67 shots in the World League before collecting 17 saves in the Pan Am games.
The victory at the World Championships gives the Americans reigning claim over the Olympic, World, World Cup, World League, and Pan Am titles, a feat never before achieved in women's international water polo.
The previous FINA World Championships for Team USA were won in 2003 (Barcelona), 2007 (Melbourne), and 2009 (Rome). The current run of multiple event championship crowns being held concurrently began at the 2012 Olympic Games (London) and continued with the 2014 FINA World Cup (Khanty-Mansiysk), 2015 FINA World League Super Final (Shanghai), and 2015 Pan American Games (Toronto).
The reigning CWPA Player of the Year, Johnson has posted an 81-13 overall mark, turning away 1,062 of the 1,533 shots she has faced en route to a 0.693 save percentage. Putting together three of the highest single-season save totals in program history, Johnson is already the Tigers' career leader with 1,062 stops.