Briefs: Team USA wins gold

The USA Water Polo Men’s National Team captured the gold medal at the FINA Men’s Intercontinental Tournament Sunday by defeating Australia, 10-9, at Yokohama, Japan.

Luca Cupido (Newport Beach) scored the last of his team-high three goals with two seconds left to lift Team USA to the title. Cupido’s second goal came with just over one minute to play and tied the score at 9-9.

Team USA went 6-0 at the tournament with two wins against Australia (8-6 in a tourney opener), Japan, Kazakhstan, Brazil, and China. Five teams (USA, Australia, Japan, Brazil, China) qualified for the FINA World League Super Final in June in China.

The USA Water Polo Men’s and Women’s Senior National Teams will play against international competition beginning Friday when the Men’s Team hosts Australia in a series of games at various locations.

Both U.S. teams have qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games which start in August in Brazil.

USA National Team Competition

Friday : USA Men vs. Australia (Pomona Pitzer College, 7 p.m.)

Sunday: USA Men/Women vs. Australia (USC Aquatic Center, 1 p.m.)

Tuesday: USA Women vs. Australia (Fresno St., 6 p.m.)

Thursday: USA Women vs. Australia (Beckman High, 7 p.m.)

June 27: USA Women vs. Hungary (Miami, FL.,)

June 29: USA Women vs. Hungary (Greenwich, CT.)

July 2: USA Women vs. Hungary (Fordham University, N.Y.)

—

Men’s Laguna Open coming

The 61st annual Men’s Laguna Open beach volleyball tournament will run June 4-5 at Main Beach in Laguna Beach.

The two-day, double-elimination tournament is a match-play format with a prize purse now at $5,000. The top 28 teams overall (by rating), and top four Laguna Beach teams (by rating), are guaranteed a spot in the main draw on June 4.

Tournament sponsorships are available and volunteers are being sought to help with both the women’s and men’s tournaments.

For all tournament information, email tournament director Kirk Morgan and kirkmorgan@cox.net.

— From staff reports