More Trojans Going For Gold
August 19, 2008 | Women's Water Polo
Aug. 19, 2008
It's official. A Trojan-laden U.S. Olympic women's water polo team has secured a place on the podium in Beijing, with only the color of the medal to be determined. With a tense 9-8 win over Australia in the semifinals this morning, Team USA moves into the gold-medal game on August 21. The United States - including Trojans Patty Cardenas, Kami Craig, Brittany Hayes, Moriah Van Norman and Lauren Wenger - will square off against the Netherlands for Olympic gold. The final is set for 3:20 a.m. PT on Thursday (Aug. 21).
The United States has medalled in the past two Olympic Games, taking silver in 2000 with former Trojan (now current U.S. assistant coach) Bernice Orwig in goal. In 2004, the USA beat defending gold-medalist Australia for bronze. This year, Team USA took down a familiar Australian foe in the Olympic semifinals, thanks in part to two goals from Brittany Hayes, one from Kami Craig and two penalty shots drawn by Moriah Van Norman at set. All five Women of Troy have scored during Team USA's run to the gold-medal match. Hayes has scored seven, Craig - who will return to Troy as a junior this coming season - has five, Cardenas and van Norman have two apiece, and Wenger has one goal so far in Beijing.
The United States is now the only women's water polo team to boast medals in three consecutive Olympic Games. The five U.S. Women of Troy could well be joined by another former Trojan on the podium in Beijing this week. Two-time Olympian Aniko Pelle headlines the Hungary squad, which fell in the other semifinal to the Netherlands. Pelle and Hungary will play for bronze against Australia before the gold-medal game. Pelle has scored 11 goals in four games for Hungary.
USC's three-time Olympian, Sofia Konoukh of Russia, scored four goals during group play, but Russia was unable to advance to the quarterfinals.
For more information on Team USA's pursuit of its first gold medal, visit nbcolympics.com or usawaterpolo.org.
Team USA's Trojans in Beijing:
Group play
12-11 W vs. China -- Craig 3, Hayes 2, van Norman 1, Wenger 1.
9-9 T vs. Italy -- Hayes 2, Craig 1, Cardenas 1.
12-7 W vs. Russia -- Cardenas 1, Hayes 1, van Norman 1.
Quarterfinal -- bye
Semifinal
9-8 W vs. Australia - Hayes 2, Craig 1.
