PARIS – Last summer, Kitty Lynn Joustra became a women's water polo world champion. Now, she can add Olympic medalist to her resume.

The Netherlands defeated USA in dramatic fashion in Saturday's bronze medal match, as Sabrina van der Sloot scored her sixth goal of the game with one second remaining to put Netherlands on top 11-10.

Joustra ends the 2024 Paris Olympic Games as the only Golden Bear women's water polo medalist. Cal has now had at least one medalist in six of seven Olympics since 2000.

The Netherlands just missed out on the gold medal game, falling in a penalty shootout to Spain 19-18 in Thursday's semifinal. The 2023 world champs found themselves in a 9-6 hole entering the fourth quarter against USA, but came up with numerous key stops to fight back and tie it 10-10 entering the final minute.

After a USA shot clock violation gave Netherlands one last chance in regulation, van der Sloot got the ball out of a timeout and found the opening she needed to slot in the winning goal to the bottom right corner, leaving just one second on the clock.

The monumental win ended USA's streak of making every podium since women's water polo debut at the Olympics in 2000. It was the second medal finish ever for the Netherlands and its first since taking gold in Beijing in 2008.

The Netherlands finished the Paris Olympics a winner in five of seven matches, with its only two losses coming in penalty shootouts. Joustra made her mark throughout her time in Paris, scoring a goal in each of the Netherlands' first six games. She finished with eight goals in seven appearances, including two-goal outings in the semis against Spain and in a 15-8 group-stage victory over China.

Joustra is now the eighth Bear alumni to earn a women's water polo Olympic medal.