U.S. Edges Canada for Tournament Title

Call it a victory for North America.

That was the consensus Sunday night at the Los Alamitos Armed Forces Center after the U.S. women’s water polo team battled Canada to the wire for a 5-4 victory in the gold-medal game at the Holiday Cup.

Brenda Villa of the U.S. broke a slump to score three goals, but the title wasn’t decided until Johanne Begin’s shot--which was beyond the reach of U.S. goalie Nicolle Payne--died in the water at the base of the left post as time expired.

U.S. Coach Guy Baker downplayed the meaning of the victory for his team, choosing instead to cite the hemispheric importance of the final.

“It was exciting to have the two North American teams playing each other,” he said. “Both teams will go into Sydney with confidence. Our continent definitely has hope of winning an Olympic medal.”

On the sixth consecutive day of competition, neither team looked sharp. The U.S. was five for 25 on its shots. Canada was four for 23.

Payne, a surprise starter who had not seen action in a major world tournament final in more than a year, made 13 saves and was selected the tournament’s top goalie. Coralie Simmons of the U.S., who scored 13 goals in the tournament but was 0 for 3 Sunday, was chosen the best offensive player.

Baker settled on a basic strategy of slowing Canada’s top two goal scorers, Cora Campbell and Begin. Campbell, named the outstanding defensive player of the tournament, was roughed up every time she went to the two-meter mark and managed only a second-period goal in three tries before being ejected for getting her third foul with 3 minutes 11 seconds to play. Begin made three of 13 shots.

“They stuck big players on us,” Campbell said of the U.S defenders. “It was physically demanding. They basically exhausted me.”

Baker said that the U.S., which averaged more than 11 goals a game in its first five contests, may have become complacent about its ability to score but added, “This gives us experience in close games.”