MEN'S SENIOR
NATIONAL TEAM TAKES SILVER MEDAL AT FINA WORLD LEAGUE SUPER FINAL AFTER 7-3
DEFEAT TO SERBIA
The USA Men's
Senior National Team's bid for a Gold Medal at the FINA World League Super Final
was halted after a 7-3 loss to Serbia on Sunday. Despite the loss this is still
the best ever finish for Team USA at this event and is the last major tournament
prior to the start of the 2008 Olympic Games in August.
The game started
off evenly for each squad as after the first quarter it was tied at 1-1. In the
second Serbia started to inch ahead claiming a one goal lead as their defense
kept Team USA scoreless. Coming out of the halftime holding a 2-1 lead the
Serbians tacked on two more goals. This was countered by two goals from Team USA
and the contest remained tight headed to the fourth as Serbia led by just a
score at 4-3.
In the fourth is where the game was decided as Serbia was
able to post three goals while shutting out Team USA to come away with the 7-3
victory and overall championship of the tournament. Team USA struggled mightily
in the man-up game going 1-9 on the day. Tony Azevedo led the Team USA offense
with two goals and Merrill Moses was solid in net putting aside nine shots.
"I am very proud of the way the guys played and worked today along with
the job they have done all week. We are showing much better consistency overall.
We have definitely closed the gap, and we will continue to build from here,"
said Team USA Head Coach Terry Schroeder.
Scoring:
USA: 3
(1,0,2,0) T. Azevedo 2, R. Bailey 1
SRB: 7 (1,1,2,3)
Saves: USA - M.
Moses 9
MEN'S SENIOR
NATIONAL TEAM HEADED TO GOLD MEDAL GAME AT FINA WORLD LEAGUE SUPER FINAL AFTER
11-10 SHOOTOUT VICTORY OVER AUSTRALIA
The USA Men's
Senior National is now just one win away from Gold at the 2008 FINA World League
Super Final after an 11-10 shootout victory over Australia in the semi-final on
Saturday. Team USA was able to pull out the victory after losing an early 5-2
lead. Brian Alexander's make on the fourth round in the shootout proved to be
the difference maker as both teams had made their first three attempts and
Australia would go on to miss their last two.
Things got started early
for Team USA as Ryan Bailey scored the game's first goal out of the center spot
with a power move to build a 1-0 lead. Peter Varellas then connected on a man-up
opportunity to build a 2-0 lead for USA. Australia answered late in the quarter
and it was 2-1 headed to the second. In the second quarter Bailey again wheeled
inside to score and the goals kept on coming as Tony Azevedo and Varellas found
the net leaving USA up 5-2 at halftime.
Coming out to start the second
half Australia was back on their game scoring three unanswered goals and just
like that the game was tied at 5-5 with play going to the fourth. In the fourth
quarter each team exchanged goals ending at a 7-7 tie after regulation. In the
shootout each team connected on their first three chances. On the fourth try
Alexander came through with a score while Australia was off the mark. On the
fifth attempt each team failed and USA came away the victors.
Team USA
now meets Serbia for in the championship game. Brandon Brooks recorded 11 saves
in net for the team while USA went 4-9 on man up
scenarios.
Scoring:
USA - 11 (2,3,0,2) Shootout - 1,1,1,1,X T.
Azevedo 2, R. Bailey 2, P. Varellas 2, B. Alexander 1, A. Wright 1, J. Smith 1
AUS - 10 (1,1,3,2) Shootout - 1,1,1,X,X
AZEVEDO'S GOAL
WITH TWO SECONDS REMAINING LIFTS TEAM USA OVER MONTENEGRO 7-6 AT FINA WORLD
LEAGUE SUPER FINAL
Genova, Italy --
The USA Men's Senior National Team scored their biggest win the FINA World
League Super Final upending Montenegro 7-6 on a goal by Tony Azevedo with just
two seconds remaining. The victory keeps the team in contention for a title at
the tournament as they take on Australia on Saturday in the semi-final
round.
Tied at six goals apiece in the fourth quarter Team USA Head Coach
Terry Schroeder called a timeout. Azevedo received the ball as play resumed and
following an ordinary foul delivered the winning goal from five meters out on
the restart. The tally capped a back and forth contest that saw the lead change
hands several times.
Montenegro got things going early with a score on a
man advantage midway through the first quarter to lead 1-0. That would be all
the scoring in a defensive-minded opening stanza. In the second Team USA came to
life with two goals in a row on consecutive man-up opportunities to take their
first lead at 2-1. Montenegro answered right back with two goals of their own
and at the half it was a 3-2 advantage for Montenegro.
In the third
quarter USA took a brief lead at 4-3 before Montenegro rebounded with a pair of
scores to build a 5-4 advantage going into the final quarter. In the fourth the
two teams jockeyed for the lead before tying at 6-6 which led to the winning
goal by Team USA. Team USA turned in a 4-10 performance on the man advantage
while Merrill Moses was sturdy in the net putting aside eight
shots.
"This is another positive step in the direction that we want to
go. It was a game to help build our confidence and show that we can play at that
next level, and we are beginning to play with some consistency," said Team USA
Head Coach Terry Schroeder. The team takes on Australia for the fourth time in
two weeks tomorrow as the two squads just finished a three game exhibition set
in Southern California on June 10.
Scoring:
USA: 7 (0,2,2,3) T.
Azevedo 2, J. Powers 2, R. Bailey 1, T. Hutten 1, P. Varellas 1
MNE:
6(1,2,2,1)
Saves: USA - M. Moses 8
MEN'S SENIOR
NATIONAL TEAM TOPPLES SPAIN 11-4; MOVES INTO FINAL FOUR OF FINA WORLD LEAGUE
SUPER FINAL
The USA Men's
Senior National Team produced perhaps their most convincing win thus far of the
2008 FINA World League Super Final as they dispatched Spain 11-4 following a
sluggish opening quarter. The squad now meets up with Montenegro on Friday to
find out potential placing in the semi-final on Saturday.
Both teams were
off to a slow start in the first as the score was tied at 2-2 after one. In the
second Team USA came alive opening up a 7-2 advantage as their defense took it
up a notch creating counter attack opportunities. In the third quarter Spain
cooled the USA offense as both teams scored two goals apiece but it was enough
to leave Team USA in control at 9-4 with playing going to the fourth.
In
the final frame Team USA tacked on two more goals and pitched a shutout to come
away with the 11-4 victory. The team was effective in the man-up game going 6-11
in 6x5 while Merrill Moses was solid in the cage turning aside 11 shots. "This
was a good win for us. We played very well as a team and we look forward to
returning to the top four of the World League which we haven't done in a long
time," said Team USA Head Coach Terry Schroeder.
Scoring:
USA: 11
(2,5,2,2) T. Azevedo 3, P. Varellas 3, T. Hutten 2, J. Powers 1, L. Beaubien 1,
R. Bailey 1
ESP: 4 (2,0,2,0)
Saves: USA - M. Moses 11
AZEVEDO
UNLOADS 7 GOALS AS USA MEN'S SENIOR NATIONAL TEAM DROPS CHINA 13-9 ON DAY TWO OF
FINA WORLD LEAGUE SUPER FINAL
For the second
straight day the USA Men's Senior National Team fell into a hole in the first
quarter only this time they came back and then pushed on for a victory defeating
China 13-9 on the second day of the FINA World League Super Final. Team captain
Tony Azevedo lit up the Chinese for seven goals in the victory while Jeff Powers
and Tim Hutten each scored twice.
Team USA battled back from a 3-2 first
quarter deficit to tie the game at 5-5 at the half. In the third quarter they
claimed a one goal lead at 8-7 with play going to the final stanza. In the
fourth they took it up another notch outscoring China 5-2 en route to the 13-9
victory. The two teams will meet again in the opening game of the 2008 Olympics.
"China is an improving team. They will be a great challenge in the opening round
of the Olympics. Tony played very well and carried us to this win today," said
USA Head Coach Terry Schroeder.
Brandon Brooks did the job in net
stopping six shots. Next up for Team USA is a day off on Wednesday followed by a
Thursday meeting with Spain at 7:20am PST.
Scoring:
USA: 13
(2,3,3,5) T. Azevedo 7, J. Powers 2, T. Hutten 2, J. Krumpholz 1, J. Smith
1
CHN: 9 (3,2,2,2)
Saves: USA - B. Brooks 6
MEN'S SENIOR
NATIONAL TEAM FALLS TO ITALY IN SHOOTOUT IN OPENING ROUND OF FINA WORLD LEAGUE
SUPER FINAL
The USA Men's
Senior National Team fell to Italy 15-14 in a shootout on the first day of the
FINA World League Super Final in Genova, Italy. Team USA held a one goal lead at
10-9 when Italy scored with just twenty seconds remaining to force the shootout.
Each team hit on their first four penalty shots before Team USA was halted on
the fifth try and Italy connected on their chance to take the game.
Italy
started off early with the lead taking a 3-2 advantage after the first, but Team
USA responded with a four goal second quarter to build a 6-4 lead at
intermission. In the third Italy fought back inching to within a goal at 7-6 as
play moved to the fourth quarter. In the fourth Team USA built up the one goal
lead before Italy struck late to force the extra session. Adam Wright led the
USA offense with three goals while Rick Merlo, Peter Varellas, Ryan Bailey,
Jesse Smith, and Tim Hutten all scored twice.
"This was a tough game to
lose, we led most of the game and should have put them away. We have more to
work on and games like this continue to help us grow as a team," said USA Head
Coach Terry Schroeder. Next up will be a match against China on Tuesday at
8:40am PST. These two teams will also meet to open competition at the 2008
Olympic Games.
Scoring:
USA: 10 (2,4,1,3) A. Wright 3, R. Merlo 2,
P. Varellas 2, R. Bailey 2, T. Hutten 2, J. Smith 2, J. Powers 1 Shootout -
4/5
ITA: 10 (3,1,2,4) Shootout - 5/5
Saves: USA - M. Moses
9