Sports

Danviller Ties Olympic Water Polo Goal Record

Update: Maggie Steffens, age 19, scored seven goals for the United States to lead the Americans to a 14-13 victory over Hungary in their Olympic opener.

Update: 8:00 a.m. Tuesday, added reference to Melissa Seidemann.

In the history of the Olympic Games, no woman has scored more goals in a water polo match than Danville's Maggie Steffens.

The  graduate scored a record-tying seven goals for the United States and the Americans needed every one. The U.S. beat Hungary 14-13 in the Olympic opener for both teams Monday.

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It didn't take Steffens long to get on the scoreboard, netting her first goal 30 seconds into the match.

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She scored two more goals in the first quarter and three in the second, for six goals in the opening half.

The 19-year-old scored her record-tying goal in the third quarter to put the U.S. up 10-8.

"I had no idea that they kept records like that," Steffens said. "I was just thinking about what the next play was. That's very much the USA mindset. It's not about the goals, it's about the games you win and that's what takes you through, hopefully to the very end."

The match was close throughout and Hungary scored with less than a minute to play to get within one, but the American held on in the final seconds to secure the victory.

Steffens, along with her older sister Jessica and the rest of the U.S. women's water polo team, will play Spain at 10:20 a.m. Wednesday. A defender on the team is Melissa Seidemann of Walnut Creek, a 22-year-old Stanford student who graduated from College Park High in Pleasant Hill.

This story originated with Danville Patch.


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