U.S. advances to fifth-place game

Behind four first-quarter goals from former UC Irvine standouts Ryan

Bailey and Jeff Powers, the U.S. men’s national water polo team

bounced back from a quarterfinal loss to Greece in the 2003 World

Championships in Barcelona, Spain, with an 11-5 victory Thursday over

Slovakia to advance to Saturday’s fifth-place game.

A win would give the U.S. its best finish since a fourth-place

showing at the 1990 World Championships in Perth, Australia. The team

has finished seventh at the last two World Championships.

Bailey got the U.S. going less than a minute into the first

quarter Thursday, scoring an extra-man goal immediately after a

Slovakian ejection. Powers followed with a pair of goals and a

backhanded goal by Bailey at the end of the third quarter gave the

U.S. a 4-1 lead.

Three other former Anteaters contributed to the victory. Omar Amr

had an assist and a blocked shot in 11:43 of playing time. Dan Klatt

was in the pool for 11:38 of the match. Backup goalie Genai Kerr saw

his first action of the World Championships, playing the fourth

quarter and making one save.

The U.S. will face Spain at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. Spain defeated

Australia, 10-8, Thursday.