European Club Results (Men)
LEN Champions League, Day 6
Group C
Jadran Split - Ferencvaros, 17-20
Team USA attacker Thomas Gruwell and Jadran Split were taken down by Ferencvaros. During the first two and a half quarters, the lead was constantly changing but neither of the teams held a two-goal advantage. Deep into the third quarter, Jadran went in front 10-9 for the last time in regulation. Ferencvaros responded with two goals and stretched the margin to three at the beginning of the fourth period (13-10). But Jadran managed to come back. There was no winner after 32 minutes of play so the game was prolonged in a shootout. All of Ferencvaros' players scored in penalties. Only one ball found the back of the net for Jadran and Ferencvaros took home two points.
Standings: 1. Ferencvaros 17, 2. Jadran Split 10, 3. Crvena Zvezda 7, 4. Jadran HN 2
Group D
Vouliagmeni - Spandau 04 Berlin, 10-6
Vouliagmeni and Team USA defender Dylan Woodhead beat Spandau 04 and Team USA attacker Tyler Abramson. Vouliagmeni, which couldn't move from 4th place, had a stunning start. The hosts played very aggressively in the attack and forced seven exclusions in the first quarter which led to four goals with an extra player and one from a penalty. The Berliners regrouped themselves during the first break and started coming back. Early in the third quarter, they cut the deficit to one goal (5-6). Vouliagmeni tightened its defense and didn't concede a single goal in the following ten minutes, while it scored four, jumped up 10-5, and secured three points, which are a big encouragement before the second half of the season and the Euro Cup eighth-finals. Woodhead notched one goal for the Greek side in a win.
Standings: 1. Barceloneta 18, 2. Marseille 9, 3. Spandau 04 Berlin 6, 4. Vouliagmeni 3
Group A
Brescia - Steaua, 16-7
Team USA attacker Max Irving and Brescia did their part to move on by convincingly defeating Steaua. The Italians were concentrated on the task and played very disciplined in defense. The Romanians did not get on the scoreboard until the 12th minute. Before that goal, Brescia earned a 5-0 lead. The hosts widened the difference to seven by the end of the first half (9-2). Brescia led 12-3 before the final frame and entered the fourth quarter relaxed. Steaua opened the fourth with three straight goals and reduced the gap to 6-12, but Brescia restored a nine-goal difference. Irving scored twice for the Italians in the contest.
Standings: 1. Novi Beograd 15, 2. Brescia 11, 3. Sabadell 10, 4. Steaua 0
Group B
Pro Recco - Olympiacos, 11-10
Olympiacos dictated the pace and led for almost the entire match against Team USA captain Ben Hallock and Pro Recco. By the 11th minute, the Greeks had already earned a three-goal lead (4-1) and rebuilt that advantage in the third period (6-3, 7-4, 8-5). Early in the fourth quarter, Pro Recco cut the deficit to one (7-8). The Greek squad made it 9-7 on the next possession, but Recco gained momentum. The Italians scored three goals in 2:10 minutes to go in front for the first time (10-9) with two and a half minutes remaining. Olympiacos leveled at 10-10 with 34 seconds to go. Pro Recco called a timeout and just 16 seconds before the end, got a man-up advantage. The Italians waited until the very last second to shoot. With 0:01 remaining, Francesco Di Fulvio hit the back of the net from 6 meters, and all three points went to Recco.
Jug Dubrovnik - Dinamo Tblisi, 19-13
The Georgians started well in this game, but it wasn't enough. Dinamo managed to keep up with Jug for almost two quarters, but the favorite secured a convincing win in the second half. The teams didn't care much about defense in a game that lacked tension and importance. Dinamo took the lead in the first quarter, but Jug didn't let the visitors go too far. In the 9th minute, Dinamo went ahead for the last time (6-5). The Dubrovnik-based side replied with a 3-0 run and from then on, it was always in front. The hosts secured a comfortable win in the third quarter and got seven goals from Team USA attacker Hannes Daube on the day.
Standings: 1. Pro Recco 18, 2. Olympiacos 11, 3. Jug Dubrovnik 7, 4. Dinamo 0
Euro Cup, Group Phase, Day 6
Group A
Telimar - Tourcoing, 9-10
Team USA attackers Johnny Hooper and Quinn Woodhead (Telimar) came up short against Tourcoing and will not advance to the eighth-finals.
Standings: 1. Barcelona 15, 2. Tourcoing 10, 3. Telimar 6, 4. Solaris 5
Group B
Savona - Honved, 6-5
Savona and Team USA attacker Marko Vavic cemented 1st Place in Group B with a narrow win over Honved in Budapest. Only three goals were scored in the first 12 minutes. In the middle of the second quarter, Honved led 2-1 and was keeping its eight-final hopes alive. But Savona replied with a 3-0 run, earning a 4-2 lead. Honved leveled at 4-4 but the hosts couldn't go any further. Savona rebuilt a two-goal advantage before Honved set the final score (5-6) as the defenses dominated the remaining five and a half minutes of play.
Standings: 1. Savona 15, 2. Vasas 13, 3. Honved 8, 4. Apollon 0
Group C
Waspo 98 Hannover - Sabac, 4-14
Sabac took revenge for an earlier 6-12 loss in Hannover. The Serbs defeated Team USA utility man Kacper Langiewicz and Waspo 98 Hannover.
Standings: 1. Primorje 12, 2. BVSC 12, 3. Sabac 9, 4. Waspo 98 Hannover 3
Group D
Ortigia - Primorac, 18-12
Primorac had to defend a five-goal victory to remain in second place. A win by five goals in Kotor would be enough for Ortigia to overtake Primorac because it has a better score than the Montenegrins in the matches against 1st Place Panionios. In the opening minutes of the second quarter, Ortigia earned a three-goal lead (5-2) and proved it was worthy. Ortigia, which led 9-6 at halftime, opened the third period with four straight goals in less than three minutes and jumped ahead 13-6. From that point on, the difference was never smaller than three goals. Primorac had some hope after converting a man-up for 12-17 in the 31st minute, however, Ortigia controlled the match and set the final score with 55 seconds left on the clock. Team USA attacker Luca Cupido netted a pair of goals for Ortigia who punched its ticket to the next round.
Standings: 1. Panionios 11, 2. Ortigia 9, 3. Primorac 9, 4. Trieste 7
Head to head: Ortigia – Primorac 9-14 and 18-12 (+1 on goal differential)
Italian Domestic League, Day 12
Pro Recco - Telimar, 15-5
Pro Recco and Ben Hallock defeated international teammates Johnny Hooper, Quinn Woodhead, and Telimar. The European champion had an 11-2 advantage at halftime of the match in Palermo. Recco slowed down in the third period, but it reached a double-digit margin by the end.
Savona - Camogli, 22-4
Marko Vavic scored one for Savona who dominated Camogli in Italy.
Brescia - Quinto, 16-10
Brescia and Team USA attacker Max Irving recorded a win over Quinto.
Ortigia - Roma Vis Nova, 9-8
Luca Cupido netted one and Ortigia beat Roma Vis Nova by one in Round 12.
Spanish Domestic League, Day 12
Mataro - Sant Feliu, 13-8
Team USA goalkeeper Jack Turner and Mataro upended Sant Felix in Spain.
Mediterrani - Rubi, 8-9
Team USA defender Mason McQuet and Mediterrani fell to Rubi in a close contest.
Upcoming Schedule
The draw for the eighth-finals of the Euro Cup will be held on December 15. These are the pots for the draw (the teams from Pot 1 will play against the teams from Pot 4).
Pot 1 (3rd-placed in the CHL groups): Sabadell, Crvena Zvezda, Jug Dubrovnik, Spandau 04
Pot 2 (4th-placed in the CHL groups): Steaua, Dinamo Tbilisi, Jadran Herceg Novi, Vouliagmeni
Pot 3 (Euro Cup group winners): Barcelona, Savona, Primorje, Panionios
Pot 4 (2nd-placed in the Euro Cup groups): Tourcoing, Vasas, BVSC, Ortigia
The eighth-finals (March 8 and 23) and the quarterfinals (April 6 and 27) will be played on a home-and-away basis. The best four teams will play in the Final Four (May 17 and 18).
Information via total-waterpolo.com
