The USA won the final match of a pre-Olympic series between the top-ranked teams in the world with a solid 7-5 victory in front of 3000 parochial fans at the Avery Aquatics Centre at Stanford University.

It was the final hit-out for the two teams ahead of next month’s Olympic Games, featuring the eight best teams on the planet.

The match was evenly contested, starting with one-goal advantages to the USA at the end of the first two breaks before making it 6-4 heading into the final quarter.

The Aussie Stingers came within one goal midway through the period but the USA sealed the game with an outside bomb six seconds from full time.

The frustration of not being able to score on extra consistently dogged the team all match but was only dulled by the fact that dogged defence gave up the same statistics for the USA — two from 10 attempts.

Russia beat Spain to retain its European title in Malaga, Spain last night and will be the big threat to the world No 1 and 2 in Beijing.

Australia has the luxury of not meeting either the USA or Russia in the preliminary rounds in Beijing as it is drawn with Greece, European bronze medallist Hungary and the Netherlands.

Result:
International series, Stanford, USA, match 4: USA 7 Australia 5 (K Gynther 2, T Gofers, B Knox, M Santoromito). USA wins series 3-1.

USA Website report

U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM FOR WOMEN'S WATER POLO CLOSES OUT FOUR GAME SET WITH AUSTRALIA WITH 7-5 VICTORY IN FRONT OF 3,000 FANS

A beyond capacity Avery Aquatics Center on the campus of Stanford University played host to the final game of a four game set between the U.S. Olympic Team for Women's Water Polo and the Australian Women's Olympic Team. Dubbed the "Blastoff to Beijing" the game saw for the third in four games Team USA was once again the victor claiming a 7-5 victory. The contest was also recorded on MSNBC and will air this Sunday at 9am pacific time.

The match started properly as Stanford grad Brenda Villa scored the opening goal with 3:54 remaining in the first period to put Team USA up 1-0. In a series that has seen a host of high scoring, this game was more a knockdown dragout affair as Villa's tally would be the lone score in the period.

In the second stanza Australia got on the board tying the game at 1-1 less than thirty seconds into the period. That was answered some 90 seconds later as Villa tossed in a lob shot to give her squad a 2-1 lead. That was short lived as Villa was whistled for a five meter penalty and Bronwen Knox cashed in for the Aussies to tie the score at 2-2. Thirty seconds later at the 5:14 mark in the period Australia hit again for a score and grabbed their first lead of the game at 3-2. Villa was not the only Stanford alum to shine on this night as Alison Gregorka used the lob shot to her advantage as well beating the Australian goalie and the score was knotted again, this time at 3-3.

The teams tussled back and forth until :51 seconds remained in the half and Orinda, California native Heather Petri made it rain from downtown with a long distance score giving Team USA the lead at 4-3 headed into half. Into the third quarter and the USA was able to build their lead when Elsie Windes connected for a score to push things out to a two advantage at 5-3. Australia turned around and used a 6x5 to score when Kate Gynther found the cage and it was again a one goal contest at 5-4. Windes was able to counter that with her second goal of the night as Team USA used an Aussie exclusion to their advantage and once again led by a pair at 6-4.

As is often the case when these two squads meet it would come down to the final quarter to decide it. With both teams on their game defensively displaying quick hands and piling up goalie saves and field blocks the Aussies struck again to climb within one at 6-5 with just 4:03 remaining in the game. The teams would trade possessions with Australia unable to score that elusive tying goal. They would pull their goalie to provide an extra offender with just six seconds left but that was ill-fated as Villa took the ball and bombed it in from mid-tank to seal the deal and give herself a hat trick.

Notes: USA came away with the 7-5 win and now have a few more weeks to prepare before they head off to the Olympic Games in late July. Betsey Armstrong went the whole way in net posting 11 saves. Each team's man down defense was superb as they forced each other into a 20 percent conversion rate. Jessica Steffens was also representing the Cardinal for Team USA and is one of two players on the roster with remaining college eligibility.

Scoring:

USA: 7 (1,2,2,1) B. Villa 3, E. Windes 2, A. Gregorka 1, H. Petri 1
AUS: 5 (0,3,1,1) K. Gynther 2, T. Gofers 1, B. Knox 1, M. Santoromito 1

Saves: USA - B. Armstrong 11

6x5 - USA 2/10 -- AUS 2/10 (1/1 penalties)
JULY 8

Stingers come back to earth against USA
Coronado, USA (July 10).—
Australia suffered its biggest loss to the United States of America in years with a 12-6 defeat to the world champion women’s water polo team at Coronado High School here last night. Australia was never in the hunt against a USA team firing on all cylinders and trailed 6-2 at halftime and 10-4 at the final break.

Australia’s downfall was on extra man where the Stingers converted only four from 12 attempts while defending just five from 11 and gifting two penalty shots to the USA.

The loss came after two one-goal decisions in the four-match series with the Aussie Stingers claiming a last-second victory earlier in the week.

The final game will be at Stanford University on Friday (Australian time).
Result:

International Series, Coronado, USA: USA 12 Australia 6 (B Knox 2, G Beadsworth, R Rippon, S Mills, K Gynther). USA leads series 2-1.

USA Website report
U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM FOR WOMEN'S WATER POLO NEVER TRAILS EN ROUTE TO CONVINCING 12-6 WIN OVER AUSTRALIA

The U.S. Olympic Team for Women's Water Polo shrugged off a last second loss to Australia on Sunday evening and came back with a vengeance taking it to their rival with a 12-6 defeat in front of sold out crowd at the Brian Bent pool on the campus of Coronado High School. The two squads meet up once more on Thursday at Stanford University in the last game for Team USA before they depart for the Olympic Games.

As for this contest it had a familiar start to the last game as San Diego native Moriah van Norman again came out to start the game with a goal to build a 1-0 lead for Team USA. Sarah Mills would answer for Australia tying the score at 1-1 and that would be as close as Australia got all evening. The United States was a determined group as they rattled off three straight goals following the Mills score as Lauren Wenger connected along Jessica Steffens. In addition Natalie Golda put home a five meter penalty drawn by Kami Craig and the USA was in control at 4-1 after the first.

The start of the second was more of the same as Patty Cardenas used a man-up scenario to her advantage finding the net to push the lead to 5-1. Australia countered with a goal less than 40 seconds later but Brittany Hayes buried a shot minutes later to build the lead back to four goals at 6-2. That was the score to start the third quarter when the Aussies drew within 6-3 after a Gemma Beadsworth score. That was short lived as goals by Elsie Windes and Craig followed and the lead was now five goals at 8-3.

Every time Australia got a goal back the United States seemed to dish out two more. The Stingers got to within 8-4 only to see Brenda Villa take a sweet pass from Hayes and put the shot away and then Craig burrowed her way through two defenders to score and it was 10-4 going to the fourth.

The final stanza saw USA toss in two more scores with Windes hitting on her second tally of the day and Craig drawing another five meter which was cashed in by Heather Petri. Overall the team went 2/2 on penalty shots and was efficient on power plays at 6/11 a welcome improvement from a 3/9 showing on Sunday. Betsey Armstrong was superb in net stopping 13 shots on the evening, while several field players recorded blocks. The two squads meet again at 6pm on Thursday at the Avery Aquatics Center on the campus of Stanford University.

Quotes:

"It's been a long time since we've had a complete game like that. I'm surprised by the score, I don't think it's indicative of this series and how these two teams matchup. Tonight 6/11 on 6x5, Sunday we went 3/9, that is a big swing. We did a better job on 6x5 and 5x6 and I was happy with our center play. Kami and Moriah were noticeably better and that is good for their confidence." -- Guy Baker - USA Head Coach

"I think there were many positives tonight. We were able to practice things in our day off and then implement them in the game and it worked to our advantage. We got 5x6 stops and then were able to score goals and it helped to create a great flow for us." -- Heather Petri - Team USA

Scoring:

USA: 12 (4,2,4,2) K. Craig 2, E. Windes 2, H. Petri 1, B. Hayes 1, B. Villa 1, L. Wenger 1, N. Golda 1, P. Cardenas 1, J. Steffens 1, M. van Norman 1
AUS: 6 (1,1,2,2) B. Knox 2, G. Beadsworth 1, S. Mills 1, R. Rippon 1, K. Gynther 1

Saves: USA - B. Armstrong 13

6x5 - USA - 6/11 (2/2 penalties) AUS - 4/12

Bronwen Knox sinks USA with last-gasp penalty goal
La Jolla, USA (July 6).—
A final-second penalty goal by Aussie Stinger Bronwen Knox secured a 12-11 women’s water polo victory over world champion United States of America at the Coggan Centre here today. The win levelled the four-test series between the world’s two best team 1-all with two games remaining.

Knox’s effort gave her four for the match as Australia had to come back from 2-0 down in the opening quarter and 7-4 behind at halftime.

Knox scored the go-ahead goal for 11-10 just before three-quarter time but the USA levelled early in the final quarter.

A nail-biting game ensued as nothing came off for either side until Australia drew the penalty attempt and Knox silenced the capacity home crowd.

Result:
International women’s series, La Jolla, USA: Australia 12 (B Knox 4, M Rippon 3, J Santoromito 2, G Beadsworth, T Gofers, M Santoromito) USA 11. Series tied 1-1.

USA Website report

Bronwen Knox converted a five meter penalty shot with no time remaining on the clock in the fourth quarter to give Australia an 12-11 victory over the U.S. Olympic Team for Women's Water Polo at a jam packed Coggan Aquatic Center in La Jolla, California. The homecoming for center and San Diego native Moriah van Norman was sullied as the Aussies were able to draw the penalty in the waning seconds of the final stanza. The four game series is now split at one game piece after the United State's victory on Friday.

Van Norman did not disappoint the home crowd as she scored the games first goal less than a minute into the match to give Team USA a lead they would hold for a long time. Lauren Wenger followed up a minute later with a score and it was an early 2-0 advantage for USA. Australia took some momentum back scoring a goal to draw within 2-1 and then halting a five meter penalty try by USA and it was just a one goal game after the first.

In the second Natalie Golda joined the action scoring a goal at the 5:12 mark, and then added another cashing in on a drawn five meter by van Norman and USA was in front 4-1. The lead kept growing when Elsie Windes took a dish from Brenda Villa and found the cage to make it 5-2. Brittany Hayes tacked on another score and things appeared to be in hand at 6-2. Australia put on a min-run of their own as Jenna Santoromito connected on a goal, and then on a broken play found herself all alone headed to the net and bounced in another score to make it 6-4 USA. Windes lobbed in a goal shortly after that and things were still in Team USA's favor at 7-4 at halftime.

The aussies strung together two goals to start the second half and they were down just a score at 7-6. Van Norman connected on a man-up scenario, the lead was back to two, but Australia captain Melissa Rippon answered the call with a score and it was 8-7 with play moving to the fourth. In the final frame Knox ripped the net to tie the score at 8-8, but that was short lived as 17 seconds later Villa lobbed on in and USA was in front 9-8. Back and forth they went as the teams traded goals getting to 10-10. Knox would score again on a drawn five meter and Australia grabbed their first lead of the game at 11-10.

Hayes would come up huge for Team USA as quick passing led to a opening on the right side and the southpaw took advantage lighting the proverbial lamp to tie it at 11-11. Team USA's defense then held until the closing seconds and the five meter call which sealed their hopes for a second straight win over Australia. Betsey Armstrong was solid in net putting aside nine saves, while Natalie Golda led in scoring with three goals. The two teams will meet again on Tuesday evening at Coronado High School in Coronado, CA at 7pm.

Quotes:

"Playing Australia is always great, playing them is always tough, every time we get a chance to play them it is a benefit." - Moriah van Norman - USA Center

"It's nice to be home and play, we don't get a chance to play here very often let along in the United States so it is nice." - Moriah van Norman - USA Center

Scoring:

USA - 11 (2,5,1,3) N. Golda 3, B. Hayes 2, E. Windes 2, M. van Norman 2, L. Wenger 1, B. Villa 1
AUS - 12 (1,3,3,5) B. Knox 4, M. Rippon 3, J. Santormito 2, G. Beadsworth 1, T. Gofers 1, M Santoromito 1.

Saves - USA - B. Armstrong 9 -- AUS - A. McCormack 6

  Aussie Stingers bow to USA by a goal
Los Alamitos, USA (July 5).—
There were fireworks in and out of the pool as the United States of America celebrated the nation’s birthday with a 13-12 over Australia in a women’s water polo clash here last night.

In the first of four matches in California, the Aussie Stingers led the opening quarter but trailed 7-6 at halftime with the final two periods squared at 3-3.

Centre forwards Bronwen Knox and Gemma Beadsworth sent in three goals each as the Stingers converted a pleasing seven from 11 on extra compared to the world champion USA’s four from nine.