Tokyo, Japan - July 31 - The U.S. Men's Olympic Water Polo Team dropped their second straight match at the Tokyo Olympic Games, falling to Hungary 11-8 in their fourth match in group play. Alex Bowen and Ben Hallock each scored two goals to lead the offense with Hallock drawing a pile of exclusions. Alex Wolf went the distance in net recording 10 saves as Team USA moves to 2-2 in Group A action. A full replay of the match is available by clicking here and will also air as part of Olympic coverage on NBC starting at 8am eastern/5am pacific and on NBC Sports Network starting at 10:30am eastern/7:30am pacific. Team USA is back in the pool on Monday as they close out group play against Greece at 11:30am local time (10:30pm et/7:30pm pt on August 1). The match will air LIVE on CNBC and can be streamed by clicking here.
Hungary got the scoring going early
in this one, opening with a 1-0 lead. Bowen had a quick answer, tying the match
at 1-1 with 5:02 to play in the first. With 90 seconds to play in the period
Hungary cashed in on a power play to take a 2-1 lead into the second. Team USA
started to get rolling in the second as Johnny Hooper converted on a power play
in the opening minute to tie the match at 2-2. Three minutes later Hallock hit
on the power play to give Team USA their first lead of the match at 3-2. With
under two minutes to play in the half the two teams went on a flurry of goal
trading. Hungary tied it on a Denes Varga goal only to see Hallock respond on
the next possession for a 4-3 lead. Hungary tied the game on their next
possession and then Balazs Harai gave Hungary the lead with an eyes closed
backhand shot out of two meters for a 5-4 edge at halftime.
In the third quarter Hungary made a
strong push, holding the United States scoreless while adding three goals of
their own. Krisztian Manhercz started the scoring around the five minute mark
and finished it with less than two minutes to play in the period helping
Hungary to an 8-4 lead going to the fourth. Varga put Hungary up 9-4 on a
penalty shot early in the fourth and then Team USA started on the comeback
trail. Alex Obert scored on the next possession followed by a Luca Cupido power
play score less than a minute later. A few minutes later Hannes Daube scored on
another power play and Team USA quickly got the deficit down to two at 9-7. The
rally would stop there as Manhercz buried a power play goal with under two
minutes to play in the match to put Hungary back up three. The two sides traded
goals as the clock wound down with Hungary claiming the three goal victory.
Team USA went 5/14 on power plays
with no penalties attempted while Hungary went 4/11 on power plays and 1/1 on
penalties.
Scoring - Stats
USA 8 (1, 3, 0, 4) B. Hallock 2, A.
Bowen 2, J. Hooper 1, A. Obert 1, H. Daube 1, L. Cupido 1
HUN 11 (2, 3, 3, 3) K. Manhercz 3, M.
Vamos 2, D. Varga 2, B. Harai 1, T. Mezei 1, M. Pasztor 1, N. Hosnyanszky 1
Saves - USA - A. Wolf 10 - HUN - V.
Nagy 8
6x5 - USA - 5/14 - HUN - 4/11
Penalties - USA - 0/0 - HUN - 1/1
Flash Quote - Dejan Udovicic, Team
USA Head Coach
On where they lost the match:
"I think our problems started in
the second quarter. We kicked ourselves as we didn't score from our man-up
chances. They are the European champions. If you don't convert your chances,
they're going to punish you, and that's exactly what happened."
Greg Mescall
Director of Communications, USA Water
Polo
Michael Phelps Teaches Swimming
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