Kuwait City, Kuwait - December 15 - On the heels of an opening day loss at the FINA Men's Junior World Championship in Kuwait, the USA Men's Junior National Team has run off three straight victories picking up wins over Iran 27-4, Montenegro 11-9 and Kuwait 16-8. Team USA will return to action on Tuesday against an opponent to be determined. All matches are streaming live and on-demand via FINA TV and can be accessed at FINATV.live (subscription required). For more on the Junior National Team including a full roster and schedule, click here. Jack Kocur is the acting head coach for Team USA after Head Coach Alex Rodriguez underwent emergency surgery for an appendectomy. We are wishing Coach Rodriguez a quick and healthy recovery!

Recaps via FINA.org/Russell McKinnon

USA 27 Iran 4

United States of America wanted to make a statement after a first-day loss to Italy and the outing with Iran provided excellent redemption. Iran started the scoring only for USA to slam in the next nine goals and ended the first period heavily in front. It was all USA from then on with Iran chasing, occasionally upsetting the North Americans and generally providing a speed bump. Unlike the previous match, there was not a predominance of counter-attack goals, USA having to work hard for every goal. USA's snappy, hard passing paid dividends and helped shift the goalkeeper.

Quarters: 2-10, 1-4, 0-6, 1-7
Referees: German Moller (ARG), Conor Davis (AUS)
Extra man: IRI: ¼. USA: 2/9.
Penalties: USA: 2/2.
Teams:
IRAN: Mohammad Bayat, Omid Aghaei (1), Seyeedalireza Pourang, Khashayar Ghareh (1), Hossein Lalehsiahpirani, Mohammadamin Hassany, Mahdi Barzegarisharifabad, Pouria Fatehi, Amirreza Jalilipour (1), Amirali Moradinoghondar (1), Ali Lotfi, Omid Khosor, Mohammad Hassany. Head Coach: Gholami Majid.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Adrian Weinberg, Quinten Osborne (4), Marko Vavic (1), Tommy Gruwell (3), Leo Yuno  (3), Garrett Zaan (2), Hannes Daube (5), Jacob Ehrhardt (4), Mason McQuet (1), Ash Molthen (3), Quinn Woodhead (1), Warren Loth, Kent Emden. Acting Head Coach: Jack Kocur.

USA 11 Montenegro 9

This was a high-energy-charged match-up with equal teams, both keen on destroying the other. All shots packed a punch and the defence was brutally close. Montenegro faced its first hard match and it didn't like the treatment USA was dishing out — goals. Fresh from a 42-7 thumping of Kuwait, Montenegro had now to work for goals. USA went two up and Montenegro equalised by quarter time. USA went 4-2 ahead and by halftime held a 6-4 advantage. Goals were traded in the third with Montenegro twice coming back to within one goal. However, USA was two clear and in the box seat. Both teams had two double scorers and one of the best shots came from Warren Loth. Sitting at nine metres he shaped a rocket toward goal and it was nearly covered by the goalkeeper except for a slight deflection off the defender. Branko Franeta went clear to open the final-quarter scoring, but Ash Molthen rifled a shot from 10 metres for 9-7 at 5:07.  USA lost a golden opportunity to take it to a three-goal advantage when  one of its players went under the water and came up on the goalkeeper forcing him to push the ball under. However, the referee's back was turned and in the commotion he called a free throw for the goalkeeper. The resulting situation led to a counter-attack with Danilo Radovic scoring for 9-8. USA was unfazed and inside the last two minutes, Garrett Zaan smashed in a two-metre shot for 10-8. Savo Cetkovic went on counter, but his shot hit the right upright. At the other end, Quinn Woodhead worked tireless to milk a situation up front and he was finally awarded a free throw. Meanwhile, Marko Vavic slipped upfield, accepted the pass and nailed the match at 11-8. Radovic converted a penalty at 0:22, but it was not enough as USA deservedly won, never being equalled. This was its second win from three matches and will meet cellar-dweller Kuwait on Sunday to secure the group's second place behind and have the lay day on Monday. Montenegro is being coached by Veljko Uskokovic, who won European gold medals with three countries — Yugoslavia (1991), Serbia & Montenegro (2001) and Montenegro (2008). His basket of medals includes Olympic bronze in 2000 and World Championship silver in 2001 and bronze medals in 1998 and 2003. He was also a Universiade gold medallist in 1995.

Quarters: 2-2, 4-2, 2-2, 3-3
Referees: Irfan Sadekov (RUS), Adil Aimbetov (KAZ)
Extra man: USA: 3/8. USA: 1/4.
Penalties: USA:
Teams:
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Adrian Weinberg, Quinten Osborne, Marko Vavic (2), Tommy Gruwell (2), Leo Yuno, Garrett Zaan (2), Hannes Daube, Jacob Ehrhardt (2), Mason McQuet, Ash Molthen (1), Quinn Woodhead (1), Warren Loth (1), Kent Emden. Head Coach: Jack Kocur.
MONTENEGRO: Darko Durovic, Nebojsa Vuskovic, Savo Cetkovic, Uros Vucurovic, (2) Aljosa Macic (1), Danilo Radovic (2), Luka Murisic, Petar Mijuskovic, Miroslav Perkovic (1), Vuk Draskovic (2), Dusan Matkovic, Branko Franeta (1), Alen Isljamovic. Head Coach: Veljko Uskokovic.

USA 16 Kuwait 8

United States of America picked up its third victory from its four matches and finishes in second place in the group with the lay day on Monday.  USA had no need to rattle in the goals like Montenegro did on day two (42-7) and played within the structure. Kuwait enjoyed the extra freedom and indeed took the lead at 2-0 and 3-1 with USA levelling at 3-3 before quarter time. Thus, Kuwait led the match for more than six minutes. Kuwait worked hard in front of goal, taking fouls at six metres and having the shots. It also enjoyed the new penalty foul rule, making sure of its three chances. USA moved the score to 7-5 at halftime and 12-6 by the final break. Two of the best goals of the match were scored by Kuwait in the final quarter with Ali Hasan driving and lobbing for 14-7 and Abdullah Jasem sending in a slider from seven metres and near the side of the pool for his third and 14-8. For USA, the centre forward position was busy with half a dozen goals coming from the big men. All in all, it was an entertaining match and something will give much encouragement to Kuwait in upcoming matches.  The icing on the cake was the award for best player to Kuwait's Abdullah Jasem.

Quarters: 3-3, 2-4, 1-5, 2-4
Referees: Nikolaos Boudramis?(GRE), Mikhail Dykman (CAN)?
Extra man: KUW: 1/1. USA: 3/5.
Penalties: KUW: 3/3. USA: 2/2.
Teams:
KUWAIT: Yousef Almotar, Abdullah Jasem (3), Saud Alotaibi, Ali Hasan (2), Abduirahman Alwazan, Manaf Almajadi, Abdulwahab Hasan, Mobarak Dashti (1), Hassan Dashti, Abdullah Alhammad, Mohammad Ashkanani (2), Yousef Alfaressi, Sultan Alsultan. Head Coach: Markos Markoglou.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Adrian Weinberg, Quinten Osborne (2), Marko Vavic (3), Tommy Gruwell (1), Leo Yuno (1), Garrett Zaan (4), Hannes Daube (2), Jacob Ehrhardt (1), Mason McQuet, Ash Molthen, Quinn Woodhead, Warren Loth (2), Kent Emden. Head Coach: Jack Kocur.