WATER POLO / ALAMO CUP : U.S. Opens With Victory Over Canada

The United States National water polo team opened the Alamo Cup with a workmanlike 13-6 victory over Canada Friday at El Toro High School.

With the victory, the U.S. team advances to the tournament’s title match against Italy at 5 p.m. today at Corona del Mar High School. Italy defeated the Commonwealth of Independent States, 12-11, in the other first-round match Friday.

Canada, which last month failed to qualify for the Barcelona Olympics, was overmatched against the Americans, who won the 1991 FINA Water Polo World Cup last summer.

Nevertheless, the Canadians only trailed, 4-3, two minutes into the second quarter. But the U.S. team outscored the Canadians, 4-1, to close out the quarter and the Americans’ lead was never again cut to fewer than four goals.

Kirk Everist and Doug Kimbell each scored three goals for the United States. Mike Wilmink scored three for Canada.

Despite the victory, U.S. Coach Bill Barnett wasn’t pleased with his players’ performance, especially early in the match.

“I don’t think their intensity was what it should have been to start the game,” said Barnett, who also coaches at Newport Harbor High. “Thus we played poor defensively, thus we didn’t have a good counterattack and thus we didn’t have a better lead.”

The defense stiffened, allowing only two goals in the second half, giving Barnett some room to be pleased. But, he warned, it won’t be so easy today. The Italians finished sixth at the 1991 World Championships.

“We had better play a lot better tomorrow than we did tonight,” Barnett said.

Canada will play CIS at 3:30 p.m. in the third-place match.