Local trio helps Team USA women claim bronze

Corona del Mar High alumna Tumua Anae and Newport Beach residents Kelly Rulon and Danielle Warde contributed as the USA Water Polo women’s senior national team won bronze at the 2013 FINA World League Super Final last week in Beijing, China.

Team USA defeated Hungary, 10-9, in the bronze-medal game. Rulon scored one goal in the contest.

Anae made 10 saves for the U.S. in the semifinal match, a 9-7 loss to China. It was the Americans’ second loss to China in the tournament.

The third-place finish marked the first time since 2008 that the U.S. women did not win the title at the FINA World League Super Final.

Anae and Rulon were members of the gold medal-winning Olympic team last summer in London. Warde, a redshirt junior at UC Irvine, was just named to the senior national team last month.

Team USA next competes at the FINA World Championships, scheduled for July 21-Aug. 1 in Barcelona, Spain.

— From staff reports