FLORENCE, Italy, June 24. AFTER going just 1-2 in group play the USA Men's National Team turned in a spirited comeback effort to defeat Montenegro 10-9 in a shootout and assure themselves of playing for a medal at the FINA World League Super Final. Deadlocked at 9-9 in the shootout after a miss by Montenegro, Ryan Bailey (Long Beach, CA/UC-Irvine/Newport WPF) buried the final shot for the victory. Team USA now awaits their opponent to be determined in the semifinal round.
Montenegro started the match on a tear rolling up three straights goal to lead 3-0 after the first period. Team USA immediately got started on the comeback trail in the second period when Bailey scored at the 6:53 mark to make it 3-1 Montenegro. Less than two minutes later Jeff Powers (San Luis Obispo, CA/UC-Irvine/Newport WPF) found the cage to draw within 3-2. Then at the 4:46 mark JW Krumpholz (Santa Ana, CA/USC/NYAC) scored to bring the game even at 3-3. The draw was short lived as Montenegro went back in front moments later 4-3 and that would be the score at halftime.
Less than a minute into the third quarter the United States evened the match again when Brian Alexander (Santa Ana, CA/UCSB/Olympic Club) lit the proverbial lamp for a 4-4 score. There would be a defensive standstill over the next seven minutes until Montenegro broke through with a score with just four seconds left in the period for a 5-4 advantage going to the fourth.
Once again the United States had a rally on their minds as Peter Varellas (Moraga, CA/Stanford/Olympic Club) scored two minutes into the fourth quarter for a 5-5 game. Less than thirty seconds later Montenegro scored to make it 6-5. The drama would then start to unfold as a Montenegro victory was halted when Tony Azevedo (Long Beach, CA/Stanford/NYAC) delivered a score with just eight seconds left in regulation to tie the match at 6-6 and force the shootout.
The shootout started off well for the United States when Montenegro missed first and Azevedo hit first for the United States to put them up 7-6. Both teams would make their next shots with Adam Wright (Seal Beach, CA/UCLA/NYAC) scoring for the United States, and then Montenegro hit their next shot to even the score at 8-8. Team USA would miss their next opportunity and Montenegro followed with a make to go up 9-8. Varellas came back to score on the next USA try to even it at 9-9 and then Montenegro would miss their final shot to keep the score even. It came down to the last shot for the United States and Bailey who would bury the shot and seal the victory 10-9 for Team USA.
Merrill Moses (Palos Verdes, CA/Pepperdine/NYAC) went the distance in net for the United States in the win.
Scoring – Scoresheet – Regulation – Scoresheet – Shootout
USA 6 (0, 3, 1, 2) P. Varellas 1, J. Powers 1, T. Azevedo 1, R. Bailey 1, J. Krumpholz 1, B. Alexander 1
MNE 6 (3, 1, 1, 1)
Shootout
USA 4 – T. Azevedo, A. Wright, P. Varellas, R. Bailey
MNE 3
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