Hackett Helps U.S. Team Turn Back Yugoslavia

For the United States to be more consistent in international water polo competition as it builds toward the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, it has to come up with more big performances like Sunday’s.

That was the general conclusion after the U.S. national team upset defending tournament champion Yugoslavia, 7-6, at Corona del Mar High in the championship of the U.S. Cup at Newport Beach.

The victory avenged the U.S. team’s 10-8 loss to the same team last Friday. Yugoslavia is considered more skilled and experienced than the U.S. team, which had three starters out with injuries.

According to goalkeeper Dan Hackett, the victory gives the U.S. team much-needed momentum going into competition outside the country later this year.

“The United States was the better team today,” Yugoslavia Coach Nikola Stamenic said. “They were not ready to play Friday. They were too tentative then. Today, they played loose.”

Hackett, who played at UCLA and Irvine High, came up big for the U.S. team, stopping 12 shots, including six when the Yugoslavs had a man advantage. He was named the tournament’s best goalkeeper.

“He was awesome,” U.S. Coach John Vargas said. “He played exceptionally well and made some key saves. I personally feel he’s one of the best goalies in the world when he is on is game.”

Hackett stopped short of calling this his most memorable moment, but said it was nice to take a win at home. But he agreed with Vargas that the U.S. team needs to be on its game more in every pool.

“I like to think that I’m a big-game player,” Hackett said. “But I’ve been working on my consistency in all games, not just the big ones. We have to put it in our minds that we can’t go to these tournaments and go up and down from day to day in the way we play if we want to be a medal contender at the Olympics.”

Unlike the first meeting when the U.S. team was impatient and frustrated its coach with ill-timed shots and turnovers, this time the Americans were more efficient despite falling behind early.

The U.S. team trailed, 3-1, midway through the second quarter after Yugoslavia’s Veljko Uskokovic scored on a lob shot over Hackett. Uskokovic’s next shot hit the post but then he was ejected for a foul on the counter-attack and Chris Oeding of Newport Beach cut the lead to a goal when he scored from the left side.

Oeding countered another Yugoslav goal with a score just before the half.

The rest was up to Hackett. He opened the third quarter with two saves and Brent Albright buried his two-meter shot in the cage to tie it, 4-4.

UC Irvine’s Ryan Bailey gave the U.S. team its first lead, 6-5, on a pretty backhand shot with 2 minutes 23 seconds left in the third period. The Yugoslavs tied it, 6-6, on a penalty shot, but the U.S. team countered with a penalty shot from Jeremy Laster of Capistrano Beach, his eighth goal of the tournament, with 3:44 to play.

Hackett preserved the victory with a save off Uskokovic’s blast from his right side with 1:11 to go and the U.S. team successfully ran out the clock.

“[Uskokovic] is a left-hander and he knows every shot in the book,” Hackett said. “He’s a classic shooter. To make that save on him, I think I thrived on the chance.”

The Canadians rallied for five goals in the fourth quarter to sink Puerto Rico, 8-5, in the bronze medal game. Mark Block finished with four goals for the Canadians, who peppered Puerto Rico goalkeeper Richard Huntley with 40 shots. Huntley made 16 saves.