July 8, 1999

Palma de Mallorca, Spain - In Thursday's action at the World University Games, UCLA track and field star Joanna Hayes advanced to the semifinals of the 400m hurdles by placing third in her heat with a time of 57.20. Hayes won this event at the NCAA Championships in June.

The USA Water Polo team, led by UCLA Bruins Sean Kern and Adam Wright, lost to Cuba Thursday night in the second game of the second bracket, 8-6, giving them a World University Games record of 2-3.

Team USA still has a chance at the medal round. All they need to do is defeat France Friday, and team captain Layne Beaubien (Coronado, Calif.) quickly affirmed, "We WILL beat France."

At 2:52, Cuba slipped one past goalie Merrill Moses (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.) and the formerly subdued pro-Cuban half of the crowd erupted into cheers.

They had the same response at 4:26 in the second period when Cuba's Cruz found a hole in the U.S. defense to score. When Ryan Flynn successfully converted an opportunity into Team USA's first point 25 seconds later, the U.S. half of the crowd responded with the same intensity and enthusiasm as their Cuban counterparts.

Beaubien was the U.S. high-scorer, with three goals. Flynn followed up with two, and Bryan Heifferon (Fullerton, Calif.) recorded one against Cuba.

Dan Klatt (Fresno, Calif.) was back at the pool Thursday, harnessed by an injury and only watching from the sidelines. Klatt scored two goals in Team USA's first game against Kazakhstan on Sunday, but suffered a shoulder injury later that night, forcing him out of the competition. "They're doing a good job," he offered. "The refs gave us the chance to win the game, but we didn't take it."