U.S. Team Turns Tide In Tuneup

The U.S. national water polo team, working to regain the form that propelled the Americans to the FINA World Cup championship in May, took a step in the right direction in an exhibition with Yugoslavia Saturday at Newport Harbor.

The result was an 8-8 tie, but one that had to be encouraging for U.S. Coach John Vargas. His team, which is missing five top players who are playing professionally in Europe, had been struggling against Yugoslavia in Colorado Springs, Colo., losing three exhibitions.

Wednesday, Yugoslavia, a powerful young team that was runner-up to Hungary in the European Championships in August, spotted the U.S. team a 4-1 lead and won, 9-5, at the Air Force Academy.

Saturday, the U.S. team again got out quickly, leading, 3-0, and 4-1, but this time didn’t fold. “This was by far our best game,” Vargas said.

Yugoslavia rallied with two consecutive fourth-quarter goals to tie the score. The second, with 36 seconds left, came on a six-on-five situation when Riato Maljkovic passed to holeman Aleksandar Sapic, who tipped it past U.S. goalkeeper Sean Nolan.

Chris Oeding’s shot from eight meters was easily knocked down by Yugoslavia goalie Dragon Jovanovic in the final seconds.

Both teams are preparing for the 1998 World Championships in January in Perth, Australia. The U.S. team started its training in early October, and is being hindered by the absence of the five missing players, four of whom--Chris Humbert, Wolf Wigo, Gavin Arroyo and Jeremy Laster--started on the World Cup team.

“It would be nice to have them back and playing these type of games together,” Vargas said. “But all things considered we played very well today.”

In the absence of the established players, some others are being given a chance to prove themselves.

Robert Lynn, making a comeback with the national team after a six-year absence, scored three of his four goals in the first quarter. Todd Hosmer had five steals. And Nolan was solid in goal, making 11 saves.

Oeding, a 1996 Olympian whose place on the team is secure, scored three goals.