University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Olympic Roundup - Monday, Aug. 6, 2012
August 06, 2012 | Bruin Athletics, Olympics
Aug. 6, 2012
The U.S. women's soccer team delivered one of the defining moments of the 2012 Olympics, defeating Canada in overtime on a goal in stoppage time to advance to the gold medal match. UCLA's Lauren Cheney and Sydney Leroux will go for gold on Thursday against 2011 World Cup champions Japan.
Women's Soccer
In one of the most exciting matches in Olympic women's soccer history, UCLA's Sydney Leroux and Lauren Cheney helped the U.S. to a thrilling 4-3 semifinal victory over Chelsea Stewart and Team Canada on Monday at Old Trafford. With the match tied at 3-3 in the second overtime period, U.S. forward Alex Morgan headed home the winning goal three minutes into stoppage time (123rd minute). Cheney started the match for the U.S. and played 101 minutes before being subbed out in the first overtime period. Leroux came on as a second-half substitute in the 76th minutes, while Stewart played the final 19 minutes for the Canadians. The U.S. will meet Japan in the gold medal match this Thursday at 11:45 (PST) at famed Wembley Stadium. The U.S. is looking to avenge a loss to Japan suffered in the final of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Men's Basketball
Kevin Love registered 13 points and a game-high-tying nine rebounds, while Russell Westbrook contributed four points, four assists and three rebounds to help the USA men's basketball team defeat Argentina, 126-97, to finish undefeated in group play on Monday evening. Team USA led by just one point (60-59) at halftime but outscored Argentina by a 42-17 margin in the third quarter to secure a commanding 102-76 cushion. The United States returns to action against Australia in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, Aug. 8. Game time is 2:15pm PT. The winner of that game will face either Brazil or Argentina in a semifinal contest.
Men's Water Polo
Hungary, the three-time defending Olympic gold medal winners, jumped out to a 4-0 lead and held off a late Team USA rally to defeat the Americans, 11-6, on Monday at London's Water Polo Arena. Former UCLA player and current head coach of the Bruins' men's water polo team, Adam Wright, took one shot in 13 minutes of action. Former UCLA goalkeeper Chay Lapin did not play. Team USA (3-2) finished in fourth place in Group B standings with six points. The Americans will face world No. 1 Croatia (5-0) in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, Aug. 8. Croatia finished sixth at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing but since then has won bronze medals at the 2009 and 2011 World Championships and most recently, won the gold medal in the 2012 FINA Men's Water Polo World League.
Track & Field
Reigning Olympic gold medalist Dawn Harper took her first steps towards defending her title on Monday as she finished second in heat four (running out of lane two) to automatically qualify for the semifinal round. Her time of 12.75 tied for the sixth-best mark on the day. Both the semis and the final will be held on Tuesday.
Redshirt junior Julian Wruck, who competes for his native Australia, did not advance out of discus qualifying after finishing 13th in his flight with a mark of 197-1. He ended the competition tied for 25th overall. This was Wruck's first Olympic Games. He won the 2011 NCAA discus crown at Texas Tech and transferred to UCLA last year to finish his collegiate career.
Men's Volleyball
The United States men's volleyball team won Group B with 13 points after defeating Tunisia 3-0 Monday at Earl's Court. The USA, with UCLA men's coach John Speraw as its assistant and UCLA women's coach Michael Sealy as its chief scout, advanced with a 25-15, 25-19, 25-19 victory and will move on to the quarterfinals.
London Log-In
UCLA Men's Volleyball head coach John Speraw takes readers through the various sponsor gifting areas for the teams, and UCLA Associate AD Mike Sondheimer details how the indoor volleyball events are run from a fan perspective in Monday's London Log-In.
News Links
With USA's Leroux, youth is served - Sports Illustrated
U.S. moving on in women's water polo - Orange County Register
Flo-Jo: Fastest Woman on Earth - Legacy.com
Modesto's Powell-Roos mulling retirement - Modesto Bee
Wruck eyes discus final - Gold Coast.com
Coming Up Tuesday
Track & Field - Javelin qualification begins for UCLA's Brittany Borman at 2:00am PT. Brittany is set to throw sixth in Group A. Watch online.
Dawn Harper continues her quest to repeat as Olympic champion in the 100m hurdles with semifinal competition beginning at 11:15am PT. Harper is racing in Heat 1 in lane 4. If she advances, the 100m hurdles final will follow at 1:00pm PT. Watch online here.
Track and field qualification and semifinal rounds coverage will be on NBC throughout the day, including 10-10:30am, 11:45-12:00pm, 12:30-1:00pm PT. The women's 100m hurdles final will air during the NBC primetime Olympic coverage from 8:00pm-12:00am PT.
Women's Water Polo - The U.S. (Courtney Mathewson, Kelly Rulon and Head Coach Adam Krikorian) will take on Australia in a semifinal match at 7:30am PT. Watch live online at NBCOlympics.com or delayed on NBC from 9:30-10:30am PT.
