Team USA Trojans Take Gold At PanAms
October 30, 2011 | Men's Water Polo
Oct. 30, 2011
Four Trojans had a hand in securing both gold medals and Olympic berths for the U.S. men's and women's water polo teams at the 2011 Pan American Games. In a heart-stopping women's gold-medal match, three Women of Troy -- Tumua Anae, Kami Craig and Lauren Wenger -- stood on the podium with gold medals. The following day, another Trojan champion -- J.W. Krumpholz -- also struck gold with the U.S. men. Both teams earned automatic qualification for the 2012 Olympic Games in London as champions at the Pan American Games.
The women's match was a wild one, pitting Americans Tumua Anae, Kami Craig and Lauren Wenger against fellow Trojans Joelle Bekhazi and Rosanna Tomiuk on the Canadian team. Canada held a strong lead during regulation, but Team USA would fight back to tie it up as the game would stretch into a marathon penalty shootout. The United States would pull it out in penalties, clinching the golden ticket to London. Craig and Wenger each scored twice for the U.S. squad during regulation, and Bekhazi also tallied a goal for Canada during regulation play.
Trojan J.W. Krumpholz, meanwhile, did not have to contend with any former teammates in the men's gold-medal match against Canada. Team USA's 7-3 win over the Canadians secured the United States' fifth straight Pan American Games gold.
For more information, visit usawaterpolo.org.
