U.S. Team Builds With Win Over Yugoslavia

There was a time when a five-goal victory over Yugoslavia would have meant the world to the U.S. water polo team. Better yet, it would have meant an Olympic gold medal.

But this wasn’t Los Angeles in 1984 or Seoul in 1988, this was Corona del Mar’s Marian Bergeson Aquatic Center Friday night. Nevertheless, the 10-5 victory over Yugoslavia in the Newport International Tournament was a satisfying result for a young U.S. team working to establish itself.

The victory moved the U.S. team into second place in the tournament with six points, one behind undefeated Croatia (seven points). Yugoslavia (five points) is in third going into today’s final pool-play games.

Yugoslavia isn’t the power it was in the 1980s when it edged the U.S. for gold at two Olympics and won almost every international competition it entered. The country’s brutal civil war ravaged the program, which was prohibited from competing in the 1992 Olympics.

Croatia, which won the silver medal in Atlanta, has emerged as the stronger team from that region. But Yugoslavia still has formidable players and Friday jumped on the U.S. team early, taking leads of 2-0 and 3-1 in the first quarter.

The U.S. team, however, didn’t fold, scoring six consecutive goals during the second quarter and part of the third. Former San Clemente High standout Jeremy Laster scored two of his three goals in the span. Chris Oeding, who scored three and a game-high four overall, said it was a matter of concentrating on the process of playing.

“We are trying to maintain our consistency of play and not get emotional regardless of what happens,” said Oeding, a former Corona del Mar player. “We’re working on not getting upset when we’re behind like that.”

That’s the kind of talk Coach John Vargas likes to hear. With the FINA World Cup in Athens looming in several weeks, Vargas said, the U.S. team must concentrate on getting better, quickly.

And Vargas saw lots to improve on Friday. Mental errors contributed to Yugoslavia’s early lead and Vargas said there were too many other instances of players showing poor judgment.

After some shaky early moments, goalkeeper Dan Hackett had a strong performance. Hackett, a former Irvine High and UCLA player, was playing for the first time since returning Wednesday from a stint with a club team in Spain. He said he has mostly recovered from the jet lag, but he looked a bit rusty in the first couple of minutes.

“Sure I was kicking myself after those first two goals,” said Hackett, who had 13 saves. “But in international water polo if you have the slightest lapse someone is going to put the ball right by your ear.”

In other games Friday, Croatia, which is 3-0-1, pounded winless Canada, 16-4, and Greece (1-1-2) and Australia (0-2-2) played to 4-4 tie.

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Newport International Water Polo Tournament

* When: Today-Sunday

* Where: Marian Bergeson Aquatic Center, Corona del Mar High, 2101 Eastbluff Drive, Newport Beach

* Today’s Schedule: Canada vs. Australia, 2 p.m.; Yugoslavia vs. Croatia, 3:30 p.m.; United States vs. Greece, 5 p.m.

* Tickets: $8 adults, $4 for students.

* Information: (714) 862-4052