WATER POLO / ALAMO CUP : U.S. Makes Adjustments, Beats Cuba
Apparently solving its defensive problems of the previous night, the U.S. national water polo team defeated Cuba, 8-5, in Alamo Cup ’93 play Saturday at Corona del Mar High School.
There was none of the foul trouble that shackled two-meter defenders Doug Kimbell and Kyle Kopp in the 9-6 loss Friday to Greece. Instead, the Americans held the Cubans more than six goals below their tournament average.
“Everybody recognizes that we can’t depend on two guys,” U.S. goalkeeper Chris Duplanty said. “I think the team came ready to play a little better team defense.”
Duplanty, a UC Irvine graduate who was the backup to Craig Wilson in the last two Olympics, made 10 saves--including one from point-blank range--and several steals.
Cuba made a run in the third quarter, scoring two consecutive man-up goals to cut the U.S. lead to 6-4.
The second goal, by Pedro Biart with 56 seconds left in the quarter, was a phantom--it apparently never went into the net. Even though the ball was sitting behind the net, the officials--after a brief conference--credited Cuba with a goal.
“I don’t know how it could have gone in because there was no hole in the net,” Duplanty said. “I turned to Terry (Schroeder, who was doing color commentary for television) to ask him what the replay showed. He said no question that it wasn’t a goal.”
The goal wasn’t damaging, however. Robert Lynn followed 15 seconds later with his third goal of the quarter.
Cuba again cut the lead to two with 3:03 left in the fourth quarter on a lob shot by Jorge del Valle, but Kopp scored 1:30 later.
Eriks Krumins, a Newport Harbor graduate, scored two goals for the U.S. team. The second, which gave the Americans a 4-1 lead in the second quarter, came on an assist by Gavin Arroyo, who like Kimbell is a former Villa Park High standout.
In other games:
Greece and Russia, the tournament’s only remaining undefeated teams, played to an 8-8 tie earlier Saturday.
Trailing, 8-5, in the fourth quarter, Russia’s Nikolai Kovloz scored three consecutive goals, the final one on a skip shot from the right side with 1:53 left.
The tournament is scheduled to be completed today at the Lawrence Family Jewish Center in La Jolla. Greece (2-0-1) will play Cuba (1-2-0) at 1:15 p.m., the U.S. B team will play Canada (0-3-0) at 3:30 p.m. and Russia (2-0-1) will play the U.S. national team (2-1-0) at 4:45.
