ISLE FILE
Kai assists in U.S. soccer win heads-up play
Advertiser Staff and News Services
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Forward Abby Wambach and midfielder Carli Lloyd each scored twice as the U.S. women ripped New Zealand, 6-1, yesterday at Chicago's Soldier Field in their next-to-last tuneup before next month's women's World Cup in China.
Wambach scored the game's first and final goals and moved into fifth place among U.S. women with 77 career goals. Her goal in the 91st minute came off an assist from former University of Hawai'i standout Natasha Kai.
"New Zealand is a great team; they're a World Cup team," Wambach said on the U.S. national team Web site. "So this is a confidence builder for everybody, not just the veterans, but also the players who have never seen time on a world championship field."
The Americans, now 5-0 in a six-game pre-World Cup tour, peppered New Zealand goalie Jenny Bindon with 10 first-half shots while opening a 3-0 lead.
New Zealand didn't manage an offensive attempt until the 73rd minute.
"The first 65 minutes I thought we played well, cohesively, created a lot, and that's our goal," said U.S. coach Greg Ryan. "We want to create as many chances as we can and finish as many as we can. That was the goal for this week and we got that done."
Wambach's first goal came in the seventh minute on a header after taking a long feed from defender Cat Whitehall. The U.S. women then scored twice in a two-minute span late in the half.
Wambach fed team captain Kristine Lilly, who fired from just outside the penalty box in the 33rd minute for what proved to be the game-winner.
Less than two minutes later, Lloyd sent a long-distance shot past Bindon.
Forward Lindsay Tarpley made it 4-0 on successful short rebound in the 52nd minute after Bindon turned back a Lloyd try. Lloyd scored on a header in the 60th minute following a corner kick by Lilly to make it 5-0.
Team USA hosts Finland in its final international friendly at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., on Aug. 25.
WATER POLO
DAVIS, OLYMPIC PREVAIL
Davis defeated Hawaiian Islands, 4-3, yesterday in a shootout to capture the women's open division of the 39th Hawaiian Invitational at the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center at Central O'ahu Regional Park.
Olympic Club beat Hawaiian Islands, 9-5, to win the men's open division.
Other division finals: Wind n Sea 6, CDM Jrs 5 in boys 14-under; El Toro 12, San Miguel 6 in boys 16-under; Trojan 13, Costa 5 in boys 18-under; Laguna 9, CDM Jrs 2 in girls 14-under; SNB-Breakers-Australia 10, Los Alamitos 8 in girls 16-under; and Norcal 5, SET 4 in girls 18-under.
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
PUNAHOU ALUMS FALL
Top seeds Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger lost in the quarterfinals of the contenders' bracket yesterday in the AVP Crocs Tour Manhattan Beach Open in Manhattan Beach, Calif.
The Punahou School alums were beaten by sixth seeds Anthony Medel and Fred Souza, 21-23, 21-19, 15-7, in 68 minutes.
Third seeds Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser beat eighth seeds Dax Holdren and Sean Scott (also a Punahou alum), 20-22, 21-16, 15-11, to successfully defend their Manhattan Beach Open title
"It's pretty huge," Rogers said of the back-to-back championships in what is considered the most prestigious stop on the tour. "Two plaques on the pier, not a lot of people have done that."
WORLD GAMES
REFT HELPS U.S. WIN
The U.S. men's volleyball team, with former University of Hawai'i player Alfie Reft playing libero, defeated Poland yesterday at the World University Games in Bangkok, Thailand.
The U.S. team improved to 4-0 in pool play with a 25-22, 34-32, 22-25, 17-25, 15-13 victory over Poland (3-1).
Also yesterday, the U.S. women's softball team, with Kalaheo High alum Jessika Ngirblekuu, defeated Japan, 3-2.
Also, the Australia women's basketball team, with UH senior Tanya Smith, beat Canada, 66-53. Smith played, but did not score.
