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The U.S. men’s and women’s water polo teams finished shy of the medal podium after narrow losses at the recently-completed World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.

The men placed seventh while the women — the four-time reigning world champion — took fifth.

In the seventh-place match, the American men defeated Montenegro 17-15 in a penalty shootout to finish the tournament with a 4-3 record.

They fell in the quarterfinals to eventual World Champion Hungary 13-12.

The U.S. women beat Hungary 15-13 in the fifth-place match to finish the tournament with a 5-1 mark.

The team fell in the quarterfinals to eventual bronze medalist Italy 8-7. Netherlands claimed the gold medal with a 17-16 win against Spain.

It was the first time since the 2013 World Championship that the American women failed to medal at a major international event.

Former Corona del Mar and UCLA attacker Maddie Musselman of the U.S. team was honored in Fukuoka as the 2022 World Aquatics women’s athlete of the year. She led the Americans in goals (12) and steals (nine) in Japan.

Former Orange Lutheran and USC attacker Hannes Daube led the U.S. men in scoring with 22 goals at the tournament.

JSerra senior Ryder Dodd played in all seven matches for the Americans, finishing with six goals, four steals and four blocked shots.

Please send water polo news to Dan Albano at [email protected] or @ocvarsityguy on social media