Posted on: Wednesday, June 29, 2005
ISLE FILE
USA water polo advances in World League play
Advertiser Staff and News Services
With Punahou graduate Brandon Brooks in the goal, Team USA qualified for the semifinals of the FINA World League series with a third-place finish in its group in the preliminary rounds.
The U.S. team defeated Italy, 8-7, Sunday in its final match at Stuttgart, Germany.
Serbia and Montenegro finished first, followed by Croatia, which beat the Americans, 11-10, Friday. Team USA also defeated Brazil, 8-6, Saturday in its first weekend with Brooks back with the team. At the 2004 Olympics, Team USA beat Italy to finish seventh with Brooks as goalie.
Ten of the 13 teams entered in the preliminary rounds qualified for the semifinal round, to be held in Long Island, N.Y., July 6 to 10. The FINA World Championships will be in Montreal, July 18 to 31.
Masters at play
The Oahu Master's Water Polo League, featuring some of Hawai'i's top men's and women's players, begins its second week with one game tomorrow at Pearl Harbor's Richardson Pool and two games Friday at Punahou.
The weekly league is in its inaugural season and is organized by Doug Cole, who coaches water polo and swimming at Kahuku High School.
The seven-team league features former and some current high school and college players, such as Vanja Kalabic, a four-time All-American from Brigham Young-Hawai'i.
Tomorrow, a men's game between Anuenue and Oahu Water Polo starts at 7:30 p.m. at Richardson Pool. On Friday, a women's game between Hawaiian Islands and Paumalu begins at 7 p.m., followed by a men's game between Hawaiian Islands and Paumalu at 8. Both games are at Punahou.
The six-week season culminates with the men's and women's championships July 30 at Brigham Young-Hawai'i. Weekly regular-season games are played at Punahou, BYUH, Kaimuki High School and Pearl Harbor's Richardson Pool.
China sweeps U.S.
Defending Olympic gold medalist China swept the U.S. women's national team, 25-22, 25-15, 25-15, Sunday to conclude the first weekend of the World Grand Prix at Ningbo Beilun Gym in China.
The U.S. team, with Hawai'i setters Robyn Ah Mow and Lindsey Berg, went 1-2 the opening weekend, losing to the Netherlands before sweeping Thailand. Following the loss to China, Team USA is in eighth place.
This weekend, the USA will play the Dominican Republic, Japan and Korea in pool play at Seoul, South Korea. On the third weekend of pool play (July 8 to 10), the USA will play Japan, Poland and Thailand in Bangkok.
The top-five ranked teams after pool play advance to the championship round along with the host team, Japan. That will be July 13 to 18 in Sendai.
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