USA Defeats Canadian to Earn 5th Consecutive Gold Medal in Men's Water Polo
The USA Crowned Champion
They overcame Canada 7-3 in the final of Water Polo in men's category
City: Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
Date: 2011-10-29
The USA achieved with no problems its fifth consecutive gold at the Pan American Games. Its victim was Canada, which could not even try to take the victory. The USA obtained its ticket for the Olympic Games London 2012.
The great surprise of the game was the appeance of one of the best Water Polo players, Anthony Azevedo. The Captain of the USA played his first and only game of the competition, since he has a back injury. His appereance was fundamental in the end, because he scored three goals.
The great defense of the USA was one the key of the encounter. Canada's attack could not do anything against the intensity and the leadership of Schroeder. The first quarter finished with a small advantage of 2-1. In the beginning of the second period, Canada tied, but two more goals of Azevedo and Smith place ahead the USA 4-2.
Azevedo scored a goal in the third episode. Hutten and Powers widened the difference 7-2, finally Kevin Graham, with a penalty scored the third and last goal for Canada, setting the final score 7-3.
There was also competed the match for the bronze, where Brazil beat Cuba 14-7. Rivas was the top scorer, with four goals.
In the match for the fifth place, Argentina overcame Mexico 12-10; while in the duel for the seventh place, Colombia won over Venezuela 11-9.
Water Polo finished with the USA as the winner of gold and its classification for the Olympic Games. Canada takes the second place, and Brazil obtains the bronze.
Guadalajara, Mexico - October 29 - The USA Water Polo Men's National Team won the Pan American Games Gold Medal and a berth to the 2012 Olympic Games with a 7-3 defeat of Canada at the Scotiabank Aquatics Center. A tight first quarter gave way to a commanding effort by Team USA that saw their defense flummox Canada at every turn allowing just three scores, the last of which came with less than a minute remaining in the contest. Captain Tony Azevedo (Long Beach, Calif./Stanford/NYAC) playing in his first game of the tournament after battling a muscle strain, delivered with a game high three goals. Merrill Moses (Palos Verdes, Calif./Pepperdine/NYAC) posted eight saves in anchoring the defense that recorded seven field blocks and forced the Canadians into 0/8 shooting on power plays.
Each team got off to a slow start as it was scoreless up until the 3:04 mark when Peter Hudnut (Encino, Calif./Stanford/NYAC) broke the ice on a power play score to go up 1-0. Canada answered on the next possession to even the game at 1-1. With 1:33 left in the period Team USA got on the right side of a two goal swing when Moses shut down a 2-on-1 break by Canada which led to Azevedo delivering a lob shot score for a 2-1 lead. Three minutes into the second period Canada again tied the match at 2-2, but that would be as close as they would get. Azevedo cashed in another lob with :46 left in the quarter and then Jesse Smith (Coronado, Calif./Pepperdine/NYAC) closed out the half with deep goal with less than a second on the clock to take a 4-2 advantage.
The momentum carried into the second half as the defense kept Canada at bay for the entire third quarter while the USA offense closed the period with a bang as Azevedo buried a shot from distance for a 5-2 lead. Team USA closed things up in the fourth period with a Tim Hutten (Seal Beach, Calif./UC-Irvine/Newport WPF) power play goal and a Jeff Powers (San Luis Obispo, Calif./UC-Irvine/Newport WPF) outside shot to go up 7-2. The United States went 2/3 on power plays and did not attempt a penalty while Canada was 0/8 on power plays and 1/1 on penalties.
Notes: The Gold Medal represents Team USA's fifth straight Pan American Games title. Azevedo was selected as Team USA's flag bearer for the Pan American Games closing ceremony taking place Sunday evening.
Scoring - Scoresheet
USA 7 (2, 2, 1, 2) T. Azevedo 3, P. Hudnut 1, J. Powers 1, J. Smith 1, T. Hutten 1
CAN 3 (1, 1, 0, 1)
Saves - USA - M. Moses - 8
6x5 - USA - 2/3 - CAN 0/8
Penalties - USA 0/0 - CAN 1/1
Flash Quotes
"We knew that it was going to be a long game, Canada is a great opponent, we've played them numerous time we knew we just had to stick to our game plan. In the end it prevailed, our game plan, and I knew that I had to keep us close no matter in the goal and my team helped me with field blocks and everything just kind of clicked together." Merrill Moses, USA Goalkeeper
"We always say defense wins championships, defense wins medals and the bottom line is we keep our opponents to five or less goals, that's our goal, we're gonna win. We kept them to three." Merrill Moses USA Goalkeeper
"Yes its a relief,definitely since we were the favorite to do this, a lot of pressure, but we prepared very hard, our coaches prepared us mentally and physically. I think the part of us that expected and prepared for it is why we are going to the Olympics." Merrill Moses, USA Goalkeeper
"It's a tough game, Canada played very well, the biggest thing for us was just sticking to our game plan and frustrating them on defense. That's the style of play we want to play and Merrill did a great job in the cage, we had a lot of field blocks from the perimeter and that was key." Terry Schroeder, USA Head Coach
"They were frustrated on their shooting, half the balls they shot didn't even make it to the cage, that's what you want to see when your defense is playing well." Terry Schroeder, USA Head Coach
"It's a good win for us, it's hard to come in as the favored team with all that pressure on you, our guys did a nice job just staying with the game plan, they just stayed in the game and kept playing hard defense." Terry Schroeder, USA Head Coach
(On qualifying now ) "To qualify here allows us to focus on training and go forward with the plan we've put together and not to have worry about that tournament in April. It's really late and you don't even know if you are going to go to the Olympics or not, so it's very difficult." Terry Schroeder, USA Head Coach
(On Azevedo's return) "It was really the first time we've had to play without him in a big tournament and learn to play without him and I think it was a positive for the team to have some guys step up and find some leadership roles in the water but obviously he came back tonight and we appreciated his presence alot, he did a great job." Terry Schroeder, USA Head Coach
Greg Mescall
Associate Director of Communications
USA Water Polo
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Azevedo: The Objective is Gold in London
For the USA the key to winning was confidence. For Brazil, team work
City: Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
Date: 2011-10-29
In the final of Water Polo in men’s division, happened the same than in women’s category, since the USA, Canada and Brazil went up the podium to receive the gold, silver, and bronze medal.
Ryan Bailey, one of the most important players on Canada’s team, gold winner, said: “It is very nice to be up there, Canada did a really good job, it has improved so much through the years, we tried to play with a good defense and I think we did a good job.”
The USA arrived as favorites, which pressured the players, about it, Bailey said: “The key was how we started, we blocked and defended a lot, and that was giving us confidence little by little.”
For his part Anthony Azevedo, who had not played in previous matches since he was hurt, participated in the gold and last match. After the final, he mentioned: “The main objective is the gold in London, but this will be the first step to do it, and that is what we are training for.”
Felipe Costa, Brazil’s captain confirmed: “We are happy; we knew this was going to be a hard game, but we have trained a lot and we deserved this. After the game against Canada, it was difficult to organize the team one more time, we deserved it.”
With the bronze obtained in women’s division, there was pressure for Brazil’s men’s team: “Yesterday, it was hard when they arrived with the medal, it pressured us a lot because Cuba was always good in Water Polo, it has a great history and we haven’t played against them 6 years ago.” he commented.
“The key is to play as a team, we have many good players, but if we don’t do it as a team, it does not work, everybody deserves it, they quit many thing to be here and now they have it.”
