Team USA Women’s Water Polo Downs Australia, 7-5

STANFORD, California, July 10. A beyond capacity Avery Aquatics Center on the campus of Stanford University played host to the final game of a four game set between the U.S. Olympic Team for Women's Water Polo and the Australian Women's Olympic Team. Dubbed the "Blastoff to Beijing" the game saw for the third in four games Team USA was once again the victor claiming a 7-5 victory. The contest was also recorded on MSNBC and will air this Sunday at 9am pacific time.

The match started properly as Stanford grad Brenda Villa scored the opening goal with 3:54 remaining in the first period to put Team USA up 1-0. In a series that has seen a host of high scoring, this game was more a knockdown dragout affair as Villa's tally would be the lone score in the period.

In the second stanza Australia got on the board tying the game at 1-1 less than thirty seconds into the period. That was answered some 90 seconds later as Villa tossed in a lob shot to give her squad a 2-1 lead. That was short lived as Villa was whistled for a five meter penalty and Bronwen Knox cashed in for the Aussies to tie the score at 2-2. Thirty seconds later at the 5:14 mark in the period Australia hit again for a score and grabbed their first lead of the game at 3-2. Villa was not the only Stanford alum to shine on this night as Alison Gregorka used the lob shot to her advantage as well beating the Australian goalie and the score was knotted again, this time at 3-3.

The teams tussled back and forth until :51 seconds remained in the half and Orinda, California native Heather Petri made it rain from downtown with a long distance score giving Team USA the lead at 4-3 headed into half. Into the third quarter and the USA was able to build their lead when Elsie Windes connected for a score to push things out to a two advantage at 5-3. Australia turned around and used a 6×5 to score when Kate Gynther found the cage and it was again a one goal contest at 5-4. Windes was able to counter that with her second goal of the night as Team USA used an Aussie exclusion to their advantage and once again led by a pair at 6-4.

As is often the case when these two squads meet it would come down to the final quarter to decide it. With both teams on their game defensively displaying quick hands and piling up goalie saves and field blocks the Aussies struck again to climb within one at 6-5 with just 4:03 remaining in the game. The teams would trade possessions with Australia unable to score that elusive tying goal. They would pull their goalie to provide an extra offender with just six seconds left but that was ill-fated as Villa took the ball and bombed it in from mid-tank to seal the deal and give herself a hat trick.

Notes: USA came away with the 7-5 win and now have a few more weeks to prepare before they head off to the Olympic Games in late July. Betsey Armstrong went the whole way in net posting 11 saves. Each team's man down defense was superb as they forced each other into a 20 percent conversion rate. Jessica Steffens was also representing the Cardinal for Team USA and is one of two players on the roster with remaining college eligibility.

Special thanks to USA Water Polo for contributing this report.

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