University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Makoto Kenney (5) scored a hat trick and Jack Larsen provided the game-winning goal to defeat Greece.
USA Advances to Medal Rounds at World University Games
August 04, 2023 | Men's Water Polo
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CHENGDU, China --ย Team USA (5-1-0) rallied for a 10-8 win over Greece (2-2-1) in the quarterfinals of the 2021 World University Games on Friday, Aug. 4 at the Modern Pentathlon Centre Swimming and Fencing Hall.A total of six different Bruins scored in the game, paced by three goals from senior Makoto Kenney. Kenney led the USA in total points with four (one assist) and also had a team-high two field blocks, both on power play opportunities for Greece. Senior Jack Larsen and incoming freshman Ben Liechtyย eachย scored twice for the Americans.ย
Senior Garret Griggsย got the start in the cage and went the distance, making 10 stops while allowing eight goals. He also was credited with one steal, and with the rest of the Bruin defenders, held Greece to just 1-for-9 on power plays.
Greece jumped out to a 2-0 lead beforeย Kenney scored (1Q - 0:35) to get Team USA on the board. But Greece would score on the next possession to take a 3-1 lead into the second quarter.
Redshirt sophomore Grant Loth scored on a power play (6:56) and Liechty found the back of the net on the next possession (6:06) to tie the game at 3-3. Greece would build the lead back to two goals at 5-3, but Kenney netted his second (2:15) and Liechty scored his second at the buzzer to tie the game at 5-5 headingย into the break.
Both teams battled to a 3-3 draw in the third quarter. Greece opened the scoring in the third (7:40), but Larsen had the equalizer (7:10) to tie it up at 6-6. Redshirt senior Giorgio Alessandria gave the Americans their first lead of the game at 7-6 at the 6:06 mark of the third. Then incoming freshman Wade Sherlock put USA up 8-6 (5:12) with a strike from the front court. Greece would score two unanswered goals to tie the game at 8-8. USA had a goal taken off the scoreboard after a video review determined that a rebound score from Larsen happened after the buzzer.
But Larsen and Team USA would not be deterred as he would score his second of the game with 7:01 left in the fourth quarter to put USA up 9-8. It would prove to be the game-winning goal as the Americans would shut out Greece in the final period. Kenney would complete his hat trick on a penalty shot with 0:51 to go to provide the 10-8 final.
Team USA now plays Hungary (5-0-1) in the semifinals on Sunday, Aug. 6. Team USA finished second in its group (4-1) with a 13-11 loss to Italy, and wins over Slovakia (16-3), China (12-8), South Korea (17-8) and Georgia (7-6). Hungary won its group (5-0) with wins over Singapore (27-2), Germany (18-13), Japan (17-6), and China (19-7), and a draw against Greece (13-13).
USA vs. Greece (World University Games - Quarterfinals)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| Greece | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 8 |
| USA | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 10 |
6x5 -ย USA - 3/8 - GRE - 1/9
Penalties -ย USA - 1/1 - GRE- 0/0
GRE Goals:ย Dimitrios Dimou 2, Achilleas Grammatikos 2, Nikolaosย Papasifakis 2, Charalampos Rompopoulos 1, Nikolaos Kourouvanis 1
GRE Saves:ย Emmanouilย Andreadis 3
USAย Goals:ย Makoto Kenney 3, Jack Larsen 2, Ben Liechtyย 2, Giorgio Alessandria 1, Wade Sherlockย 1, Grant Loth 1
USA Saves:ย Garret Griggs 10
ย
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