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<< Previous   of   Next >> Associated Press  (click to enlarge) China goalkeeper Weiqing Ge tries to block a goal scored by USA driver Tony Azevedo (8) during a preliminary round men's water polo match at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2008. USA won 8-4. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Report scores and results to 425-339-3470 or 1-866-6-SCORES (Call after 4:30 p.m.) E-mail information including items for Tuesday's Communities Sports Roundup and Thursday's Outdoor Calendar, to sports@heraldnet.com Kevin Brown, Sports Editor kbrown@heraldnet.com   Published: Sunday, August 10, 2008 U.S. win over China not easy David Lassen Scripps Howard News Service BEIJING -- The idea is to make each little victory add up to something much bigger. The U.S. men's water polo team claimed the first such win Sunday -- and so, to a degree, did the host team. Led by a five-goal effort from Tony Azevedo, the U.S. team launched its effort to end a 20-year Olympic medal drought by defeating China 8-4 at the Yingdong Natatorium. It was just the first step for the team, and by most measures, it was an expected one, since China had not made an Olympic appearance in 20 years and was in this one only on the host's exemption. Still, that did not detract from its value. "We've talked all along about building on small successes, one after the other," said coach Terry Schroeder, who played on the last U.S. team to earn a medal, a silver in 1988. "And this is a small success. Now they build on it." For goalie Merrill Moses -- making his Olympic debut after failing to make the team in 2004 and leaving the sport, only to be lured back when Schroeder became the head coach -- the Olympic debut was "exhilarating, a great time." Not an easy one, though. China rallied from a 3-0 first-quarter deficit for a 3-3 tie before Azevedo scored with 38 seconds remaining in the first half to put the U.S. in front for good. "We knew the game was going to be called tightly," said Moses, "and I knew if I did my job we'd win, and (I) just blocked the things I needed to block, and our team played great team defense." The U.S. was called for nine exclusions to China's five, but the hosts were unable to take advantage, failing to score on with the extra man, while the U.S. scored three goals -- one by Azevedo and two by Layne Beaubien. Azevedo's five goals against China should not have been a surprise. He scored seven goals the last time the teams met. "Tony's just a spectacular player," said Moses. "I'm going to be honest -- be prepared for him to score a lot of goals against every time. ... We don't only have Tony. We have a lot of firepower, a lot of people that can shoot. Tony just stepped up today. He's a great captain, and that's his job." Azevedo, playing in his fourth Olympics, downplayed his performance. "We have some great players out there," he said, "and it really helps. We have Ryan Bailey in the two-meter position, everyone comes back to him, they leave me, and I just put the ball away." If this was a first step for the U.S., it was a stride forward of a different kind for China, a team the U.S. beat 25-0 in a game just two years ago. "I still think we did a good job," said coach Wang Minhui, "because the U.S. team is comparatively stronger. The score was pretty good for us, because in the past when we have competed against them, we did significantly worse." Said Schroeder, "They've worked hard and from where we saw them a couple years ago, they've improved dramatically. They've put a lot into it over this last two-year period, and they've definitely gotten better and better." Good enough, said Moses, to be dangerous in this tournament. "I think everyone looks at China definitely as a team that can beat you if you don't play your A game," he said. "I definitely think they're going to surprise someone. Since it wasn't the U.S. mean, they were turning their focus to Tuesday's game against Italy (12:10 p.m. in Beijing, 12:10 a.m. EDT) almost as soon as they were out of the pool. "We'll probably talk about Italy tonight, you know," said Moses. "We have some rest tomorrow but we'll be practicing twice, and going through Italy, and I'll definitely be looking at a lot of tape." (David Lassen writes for the Ventura County Star)

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