Jesse Smith (Coronado, Calif.) began the U.S. surge with two goals in the first quarter. He led the U.S. Team in scoring despite receiving his second exclusion in the first quarter. He sat out the second and third quarters, but returned in the fourth to add two more, finishing with four goals and two blocks.
“Playing half of a game is enough because a team is made of 13 guys and everyone is an important part of the team,” Smith said. “Tonight, both teams played well. Fortunately, we put our shots away and have a bit more experience (than Brazil). We created a lot of momentum. I hope we continue to play well together and get a chance to play for the gold.”
As defending Pan American champions, the U.S. is favored to do just that. The team also placed highest among the Americas at the 2007 FINA World Championships, where they took ninth. Should they win gold in Rio next week, they will earn an automatic berth to the 2008 Olympic Games.
“With this being an Olympic qualifying event, we have to take every game seriously, like it is the Olympics,” goalkeeper Genai Kerr (Imperial Beach, Calif.) said. “We also have to set a precedent now that we’re one of the top teams in the world for next year.“
Saturday night’s win set the team on the right track. Six U.S. players scored, and as a team they shot 57 percent, compared with 23 percent from the Brazilians. Netting three goals for the U.S. was first alternate Thomas Hopkins (Coronado, Calif.), a last-minute replacement for Olympian Brett Ormsby (El Cajon, Calif.), who was injured just days before the team departed for Brazil.
“When I heard I was coming, the first thing I thought was that I was bummed for Brett,” Hopkins said. “He’s been injured for a couple of years, he was finally at about 95 percent and then he got poked in the eye (tearing his retina) and had to have surgery. I’m doing my best to fill his place. Two of my goals were created because of other guys. We had a lot of good assists and good team play tonight.”
The U.S. continues round robin play Sunday against Mexico at 4:30 p.m., followed by Monday’s 3 p.m. game against Puerto Rico.
About USA Water Polo: USA Water Polo, Inc. is a non-profit corporation organized for the purpose to serve as the national governing body for the sport of water polo in the United States under the auspices of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). For more information please visit www.usawaterpolo.com.
