July 16, 2013
Kazan, Russia - July 16 - The UCLA Men's Water Polo Team and the California Women's Water Polo Team took fifth and eighth place respecitively representing the United States at the 2013 World University Games. UCLA closed out play with an 8-7 victory over Japan to claim fifth place while Cal fell to France 9-8 to claim eighth place.
UCLA-Japan Recap (From UCLABruins.com)
Attackers Paul Reynolds and Chris Fahlsing and utility Danny McClintick each scored two goals to lead Team USA (4-1-3) to an 8-7 victory over Japan on July 16 to finish in fifth place at the World University Games in Kazan, Russia.
Japan (4-0-4) entered the fifth-place game leading the tournament in scoring with 110 goals (15.7 goals per game) through its first seven contests. Leading the defensive effort against Japan's explosive offense was Team USA goalkeeper, Garrett Danner. Danner finished with a tournament-high-tying 15 saves and a game- and tournament-high five steals.
In addition to the two goals by Paul Reynolds, Fahlsing and McClintick, Team USA also received one goal each from attacker Ryder Roberts and center Alec Zwaneveld.
McClintick got Team USA on the board first, scoring from center at the 6:21 mark of the first period. Yuta Hemmi tied it at 1-1 with a goal at center (4:05). Fahlsing then converted a penalty shot to give the Americans a 2-1 lead at the end of the first quarter (3:52).
Hemmi scored his second goal of the game, this one on a power play, to tie the score at 2-2 with 5:10 left in the second period. But Paul Reynolds answered with back-to-back scores from distance (4:29 - assist by McClintick - 3:30) to hand Team USA a 4-2 lead at the break.
Takaaki Yoshimitsu pulled Japan to within one at 4-3 with a goal from two meters with 6:12 remaining in the third period. But Ryder Roberts took a feed from Lucas Reynolds to score from distance to make it 5-3 (5:42). Fahlsing then converted another penalty shot, his second of the game, to double up the Japanese at 6-3 (4:49). Koji Takei scored on a penalty shot with 0:07 on the clock to end the third period with the Americans holding a 6-4 advantage.
The fourth quarter was all about Takei and some timely goals by the Americans. Takei would score the last four goals for Japan. He opened the fourth period with a goal from five meters to pull Japan to within one goal at 6-5 (6:24). Then Zwaneveld had an immediate answer to make it 7-5 with a goal at two meters (6:11). But Takei would score back-to-back goals to tie the score at 7-7. His first was from five meters with 2:19 left and the latter was a counter attack strike with 1:52 to go. But fittingly, McClintick, who wears No. 7, would break a 7-7 tie to score the game-winning goal on a power play with 1:13 remaining (assist by attacker Daniel Lenhart).
Danner stopped 15 of the 22 shots by Japan, or 68.2 percent of its shots. Renya Kato played in the cage for Japan, making five stops (out of 13 shots, 38.5 percent).
McClintick, Lenhart and Lucas Reynolds led Team USA with one assist apiece while Roberts won one sprint, recorded the only field block and picked up the only other steal for the Americans (Danner had five). Defender Chris Wendt also won his only sprint (Paul Reynolds 0-for-2).
For the tournament, Paul Reynolds led the team in scoring with 18 goals (tied for second among all players in the tournament) and a team-best shooting percentage of 60.0 percent (18-for-30), which ranked third in the tournament. His 6-for-6 shooting on penalty shots was the most in the tournament without a miss and ranked third overall in penalty goals scored. Attacker Jack Fellner (8-for-21, .381) and Lucas Reynolds (8-for-16, .500) tied for second with eight goals apiece.
There are still the championship and third-place games left to play tomorrow, but Danner will in all likelihood, finish as the tournament's leading goalkeeper in saves with 90 (Russian goalie Evgeniy Kostrov needs 26 saves in the title game vs. Hungary to tie). His save percentage of 59.6 percent (stopped 90-of-151 opponent shots) leads all 12 starting goalkeepers in the tournament. He also led all goalies with 15 steals.
Japan vs. USA
Japan Goals: Koji Takei 4, Yuta Hemmi 2, Takaaki Yoshimitsu
Japan Saves: Renya Kato 5
USA Goals: Paul Reynolds 2, Danny McClintick 2, Chris Fahlsing 2, Alec Zwaneveld, Ryder Roberts
USA Saves: Garrett Danner 15
Cal-France Recap (from CalBears.com)
France scored the tiebreaking goal with 43 seconds remaining in overtime and Cal's women's water polo team lost 9-8 in the Seventh Place Match of the World University Games in Kazan, Russia on Tuesday.
Junior Tiera Schroeder scored three goals for the Bears, who represented the United States at the Games. This marked the first time USA Water Polo picked a singular college team to compete against other countries rather than select a squad of all-stars from across the nation.
Juniors Victoria Williams and Missy Hale added two goals apiece for the Bears, who despite playing against some of the best players in the world notched a tie against Australia and lost twice to France by a total of three goals.
Senior Ashley Young also scored and finished the tournament as the team leader with nine goals.
Tuesday's match was close throughout, as neither team ever established more than a one-goal lead. Hale's second goal came with 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter and tied the game at 8-8, forcing the extra session.
Sophomore Kathleen Menz and freshman Kelsey Roland once again split time at goalie, with Roland making four saves and Menz recording four stops.
The Bears will go through closing ceremonies Wednesday and then return home. The team has been in Kazan since July 1.
Final Results - UCLA
7/6 - Brazil 8-8
7/7 - Montenegro - W, 9-8
7/8 - Serbia - L, 9-5
7/10 - Belgium - W, 19-2
7/11 - Italy - L, 7-6
7/13 - Hungary - L, 12-7
7/15 - Australia - W, 11-8
7/16 - Japan - W, 8-7
Final Results - Cal
7/6 - Hungary - L, 12-5
7/8 - France - L, 7-5
7/10 - Australia - 6-6
7/12 - Russia, L, 20-7
7/14 - Australia, L, 9-5
7/16 - France, L, 9-8 (OT)
