Cal Duo Helps Power USA Women to U20 World Water Polo Title

A pair of players from the Cal women’s water polo team contributed to the USA winning the U20 World Championship at Salvador, Brazil. 

The Americans beat Spain 16-15 in the gold medal match on Sunday with Cal junior Julia Bonaguidi scoring twice and sophomore Rosalie Hassett contributing one goal.

The Americans went undefeated in the week-long event, beating Italy 13-11 in the Friday semifinal. 

Bonaguidi, from La Jolla, scored 15 goals in six games and Hassett, from Orinda, put the ball in the net eight times.

Cal head coach Coralie Simmons served as an assistant on the USA staff.

In group play, Bonaguidi scored six times on seven shots in a 14-6 win over Italy. Hassett had three goals in an 11-10 victory over Hungary.

Five Cal players participated in the event, also including Eszter Varro, a sophomore from Hungary,  Holly Dunn, a sophomore from New Zealand, and Despoina Drakotou, an incoming freshman from Greece.

Drakatou was scoreless in Greece’s 10-7 win over Italy in Sunday’s bronze-medal match. She scored two goals in the tournament.

Varra scored two goals in Hungary’s 19-11 win over the Netherlands in the fifth-place match. She scored eight goals in seven games.

Dunn had two goals and two assists as New Zealand beat Israel 11-10 for 11th place. She had 13 goals in the tournament.