RIVERSIDE Huntington Beach senior-to-be goalie Alex Wolf made 11 saves and Dana Hills junior-to-be attacker Bennett Williams added a goal and three assists as the U.S. men’s water polo team rallied from a three-goal deficit to edge Brazil, 10-9, in the gold-medal match of the Junior Pan American Championships at Riverside City College on Tuesday.
The U.S. women also captured gold, defeating Brazil, 11-6, in the final behind tournament MVP Aria Fischer of Laguna Beach, a sophomore-to-be who scored three goals. Senior-to-be Carlee Kapana of Newport Harbor made seven saves and was selected the tournament’s top goalie.
San Clemente’s Amber McCutcheon, Santa Margarita product Haley Wan and Mater Dei product Brianna Daboub each added goals for the U.S. women.
The U.S. men trailed Brazil, 7-4, early in the third period but closed the quarter with a 3-0 run and scored the first three goals of the fourth to take control.
Team USA reversed its fortunes in the second half by passing and defending better and converting chances with the extra attacker.
“We just had to play with heart and know that we could push through it and that we’re in better condition than them and (know) that we were going to win,” said U.S. left-hander Thomas Dunston, who scored once.
“We calmed down in the second half. We just needed to stop freaking out about that (we’re playing) in the final and just needed to play our game.”
Williams set up the eventual winning goal, passing to Nicholas Carniglia for an extra-man strike and a 10-7 lead with 4:57 left. The Stars and Stripes converted 3 of 4 power-play chances in the fourth and finished 7 of 14.
Captain Guicherme Gomes of Brazil trimmed Team USA’s lead to 10-9 on a goal with 1:21 remaining in the fourth but the United States closed out the victory.
“I think we played together very well and we’re starting to come together as a team because we’ve only been playing together for about a month,” said Wolf, a 6-foot-7 1/2 goalie who went the distance in the cage.
The U.S. men’s team was essentially the U.S. youth team playing at the junior-level. The squad featured seven players making their national team debut this summer, including Wolf and Williams.
The team departs soon for Europe and then the World youth championships (18-and-under) in Istanbul in early August.
“I think it looks good,” Williams said. “We play well together. We have strong guys at every position. I think we’re going to do very well in Europe.”
