LONG BEACH, Calif., June 27.<\/p>\n
Game Twenty (GOLD MEDAL GAME): HUNGARY vrs. USA
\nHUNGARY, 10 – USA, 12
\n( 3:2, 1:3, 3:2, 1:1 ) regulation time
\n( 2:4 ) penalty shoot-out<\/p>\n
FINAL STANDINGS:
\nUSA wins GOLD MEDAL
\nHUNGARY earns SILVER MEDAL <\/p>\n
GAME NOTES:
\nThe United States of America won a penalty shootout 4-2 to beat Hungary
\n12-10 for the gold medal.<\/p>\n
The game was 8-8 at full time and the host nation had the better of the
\nshootout series.<\/p>\n
This was the one the huge crowd had come to see and the teams did not
\ndisappoint. Rita Dravucz opened for Hungary on the power play but it wasn\u00b9t
\nlong before Brenda Villa had the spectators roaring, scoring on extra. Kelly
\nRulon made it 2-1 on counter at 5:11. Dravucz levelled with a penalty goal
\nat 3:40 and Aniko Pelle scored her own counter goal, just inside the hooter.<\/p>\n
Amber Stachowski showed why she is such a class two-metre player, turning
\nand shooting while low in the water at 6:42 of the second quarter. Agnes
\nPrimasz sent one across the cage for 4-3 and some time later Margaret
\nDingeldein levelled. At 0:21, Natalie Golda scored from the point, sending a
\nhorizontal shot into the top right for a 5-4, halftime lead.<\/p>\n
Mercedes Stieber fired one into the top at 7:46 of the third period and
\nDravucz dulled the crowd\u00b9s enthusiasm with one on extra at 5:55 for a 6-5
\nlead. Ericka Lorenz rose high deep right and hammered the ball across the
\ncage for 6-6 on extra at 2:42. Villa wasted no time in converting another
\npower play for the lead at 7-6. However. Celebrations were premature as
\nPelle grabbed a second on a cross pass at 0.16 for a tied game.<\/p>\n
USA goalkeeper Jacqueline Frank was ejected stopping a fast break by a
\nHungarian player. The ball went back to a player at halfway and the long
\nshot barred out. Primasz lobbed on the drive on the next attack at 6:04 and
\nDingeldein repeated the effort for the USA 30 seconds later for 8-8. Both
\nteams took a timeout but no goals and the USA had two shots in the dying
\nseconds, both failing to find the mark. The game went to a penalty shootout.<\/p>\n
Brenda Villa shot first for the USA, putting it into the top left. Agnes
\nValkai had her shot blocked by Frank. Lorenz put her shot into the right for
\n10-8. Primasz also sent hers to the right for 10-9. Stachowski missed the
\ntarget for the USA and Stieber saw her shot hit Frank. Robin Beauregard sent
\nhers in to the left for 11-9 and Dravucz replied in the bottom left for
\n11-10. With only one set of shots left Golda swam up and etched her name in
\nhistory by scoring into the right and negating the need for Hungary to have
\nthe final shot. The USA had won 12-10.<\/p>\n
FLASH QUOTES:
\nHUNGARY (10)
\nCOACH: TAMAS FARAGO<\/p>\n
ON GAME: \u201cThey had more luck.\u201d<\/p>\n
ON SHOOTOUT: \u201cShootouts could definitely be something very special for water polo, but overtime is easier.\u201d<\/p>\n
ON USA\u2019S PERFORMANCE: \u201cI\u2019m very happy for them (USA), because if the US continues to get better, it will be good for all of water polo.\u201d<\/p>\n
UNITED STATES (12)<\/p>\n
Head Coach GUY BAKER ON PENALTY SHOOTOUTS: \u201cThe last time I was a part of one was as a men\u2019s assistant coach at the 1997 World Cup. It was different back then because we got six shots and only three players to shoot them.\u201d \u201cI think they are really good for what they are trying to do with the league. For the fans, it\u2019s an awesome thing to watch and it\u2019s very entertaining. As a coach, I prefer overtime.\u201d<\/p>\n
ON THE GAME: \u201cFans got to see a really entertaining game tonight. There was a little bit of everything. Hungary is a fantastic team.\u201d<\/p>\n
ERICKA LORENZ ON SHOOTOUT: \u201c It was a different experience, it was my first one.\u201d <\/p>\n
ON CROWD NOISE DURING HER SHOT IN SHOOTOUT: \u201cI don\u2019t even pay attention, I\u2019m in my zone.\u201d<\/p>\n
JACQUELINE FRANK ON GAME: \u201cThe entire game was really exciting. Hungary is a great team.\u201d<\/p>\n
ON SHOOTOUT: \u201cIt was the first shootout that I\u2019ve ever been a part of or even seen.\u201d \u201cI hoped all of our field players would make their goals.\u201d <\/p>\n
ON GAME: \u201cI thought it was fun, with the crowd and atmosphere. Hungary is a great team.\u201d<\/p>\n
ON SAVES IN SHOOTOUT: \u201cI know that Hungary\u2019s players like to skip the ball on shots, they have long arms and whip the ball around.\u201d \u201cWith the shots from five meters rather than four meters, it gives you a little more time to react.\u201d<\/p>\n
BRENDA VILLA:<\/p>\n
ON GAME: \u201cIt\u2019s awesome. It\u2019s our last game on American soil before Athens. We don\u2019t want to start rough in Athens. We\u2019re going to be playing many European teams, so it was good to play Hungary in the final.\u201d<\/p>\n
ON MISSING LAST SHOT: \u201cI can\u2019t believe I hit the bar. I\u2019ve never been in a shootout. It\u2019s the utmost pressure situation.\u201d<\/p>\n
ON SHOOTOUT: \u201cEveryday we do this (shootouts) at practice. We don\u2019t want to get too comfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n
ON GAME STRATEGY: \u201cGet a win regardless of what you have to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
ON TONIGHT\u2019S CROWD: \u201cIt\u2019s good to have a huge crowd. We need to take that (cheers) with us (in Athens), because we\u2019re expecting a lot of boos in Athens.\u201d<\/p>\n
COMPOSITION OF TEAM AND SCORERS:<\/p>\n
HUNGARY: 10
\nIldiko SOS (GK), Eszter TOMASKOVICS, Anett GYORE, Dora KISTELEKI, Mercedes
\nSTIEBER (1), Erzsebet VALKAI, Rita DRAVUCZ (4), Krisztina ZANTLEITNER, Krisztina
\nSZREMKO, Aniko PELLE (2), Agnes VALKAI, Agnes PRIMASZ (3), Andrea TOTH, Patricia
\nHORVATH
\nHEAD COACH: Dr. Tamas FARAGO<\/p>\n
RESULTS SINCE 2000: Second Place 2001 World Championships; first place 2002 World Cup; fifth place 2003 World Championships, silver medal 2004 World League Super FInals. <\/p>\n
RESULTS OF 2004 FINA WATER POLO WORLD LEAGUE COMPETTITION:
\nDay One: (0-1) – HUNGARY lost to ITALY, 4-6
\nDay Two: (1-1) – HUNGARY defeated CANADA, 12-7
\nDay Three: (2-1) – HUNGARY defeated AUSTRALIA, 5-4
\nDay Four: (3-1) – HUNGARY defeated RUSSIA, 8-
\nTODAY: (3-2) – HUNGARY lost to USA, 10-12<\/p>\n
TO HUNGARY SCORERS IN FINA WATER POLO WORLD LEAGUE SUPER FINALS:
\nSTIEBER (9), VALKAI (7), DRAVUCZ (7), PELLE (4), KISTELEKI (4), SZEREMKO (4)<\/p>\n
USA: 12
\nNicolle PAYNE, Jacqueline FRANK (GK), Heather PETRI, Ericka LORENZ (2), Brenda VILLA (3), Ellen ESTES, Natalie GOLDA (2), Margaret DINGELDEIN (2), Kelly RULON (1), Heather MOODY, Robin BEAUREGARD (1), Amber STACHOWSKI (1), Thalia MUNRO
\nHEAD COACH: Guy BAKER<\/p>\n
RESULTS SINCE 2000: Silver medal 2000 Olympic Games, fourth place 2001 World Championships, second place 2002 World Cup, Gold Medal 2003 World Championships, Gold medal 2004 World League Super FInals.<\/p>\n
RESULTS OF FINA WATER POLO WORLD LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS:
\nDay One: (1-0) – USA defeated KAZAKHSTAN, 10-4
\nDay Two: (1-1) – USA lost to RUSSIA, 5-10
\nDay Three: (2-1) – USA defeated GREECE, 9-7
\nDay Four: (3-1) – USA defeated ITALY, 10-9
\nTODAY: (4-1) – USA defeated HUNGARY, 12-10<\/p>\n
TOP USA SCORERS IN FINA WATER POLO WORLD LEAGUE SUPER FINALS:
\nVILLA (11), LORENZ (7), GOLDA (7), ESTES (5), DINGELDEIN (5) <\/p>\n
POWER PLAYS:
\nHUNGARY: 4\/11
\nUSA: 5\/10<\/p>\n
REFEREES: Militiachis ELEFTHERIDIS (GRE) & Vladimir PRIKHODKO (KAZ)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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