Team USA Tops Trojans 10-8
April 18, 2008 | Women's Water Polo
April 18, 2008
LOS ANGELES, CALIF. - The No. 3 USC women's water polo team welcomed home several of its own on Friday afternoon, hosting the U.S. Women's National Team in an exhibition match at McDonald's Swim Stadium. All six current National Team members who hail from USC - Patty Cardenas, Kami Craig, Erika Figge, Brittany Hayes, Moriah Van Norman and Lauren Wenger - never lost at home during their Trojan playing days, and they kept that mark intact with Team USA's 10-8 win over the current Women of Troy. Team USA recently qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, where the United States aims to claim a third straight Olympic medal.
The Trojans were able to keep pace with the U.S. squad during the first half, pulling back from a 3-1 hole to tie up the game 3-3 in the first period. USC grad Lauren Wenger got the United States an early lead by converting a 6-on-5 for a 1-0 USA advantage. On the Trojan end, however, Kally Lucas hit Miranda Nichols at two meters, and Nichols ripped in a backhand to tie it 1-1. Former Women of Troy Moriah Van Norman and Erika Figge struck next for Team USA, however to get the National Team up 3-1. But two 6-on-5 advantages for the Trojans later, and USC had leveled things, as Veronika Bartunkova struck on a skipper from the top, and then Nichols assisted on a Lucas bar-in to get the score to 3-3.
USC went ahead in the second frame with another 6-on-5 score, getting a strike from Alison Riddle on USC's first possession and later a sliding score from Julie Spataru to lift the Trojans up 5-3 with 6:55 still to go in the half. At 4:36, Team USA cut in to USC's lead with a 6-on-5 goal from Brenda Villa, and then Figge rocketed in her second of the day for a 5-5 lockup that stood to halftime. In the third, USC took an early lead once again thanks to a score from freshman Kristen Dronberger, but the United States put together a five-goal run that helped Team USA take over the game. Moriah Van Norman and Elsie Windes each struck in the third period to pull the USA to its first lead since the first period, up 7-6 entering the fourth period. Van Norman earned a 5-meter penalty shot early in the fourth, and Villa slotted the shot for the USA to make it 8-6. Figge's third goal of the day came next, upping the USA's advantage to 9-6, and the Heather Petri punched in a skipper to make it 10-6 USA with 3:48 left on the clock.
USC ended the United States' scoring spurt with a pair of scores from Veronika Bartunkova - both on 6-on-5 opportunities for the Trojans to close out the match as a 10-8 USA victory in exhibition play.
Next up for the Women of Troy is their regular-season finale, as USC finishes out MPSF play with a visit to No. 12 Long Beach State at 12 p.m. on Sunday (April 20).
United States 10, USC 8
USA 3 - 2 - 2 - 3 = 10
USC 3 - 2 - 1 - 2 = 8
SCORING:
USC - Veronika Bartunkova 3, Miranda Nichols, Kally Lucas, Alison Riddle, Julie Spataru, Kristen Dronberger.
USA - Erika Figge 3, Moriah Van Norman 2, Brenda Villa 2, Lauren Wenger, Elsie Windes, Heather Petri.
SAVES: Tumua Anae (USC) 9, Betsey Armstrong (USA) 8.
