June 25, 2004

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Palo Alto Online

USA women's polo keeps on winning

by Rick Eymer

Stanford grad Ellen Estes scored twice to lead the United States' women's Olympic water polo team to a 10-4 victory over Kazakhstan in the first game of the FINA Women's World League Super Finals at the Charter All-Digital Centre in Long Beach on Wednesday.

Natalie Golda also scored twice in a tournament which features all eight teams which will compete in the Athens Olympics.

Team USA will play Greece today at 8:45 p.m. The Americans were scheduled to meet Russia on Thursday night. The semifinals are slated for Saturday, with the finals set for Sunday.

With the match tied at 1, Estes scored from two meters to spark a five-goal scoring spree which put the United States comfortably ahead.

"We did well with the conditioning aspect of the game," said USA coach Guy Baker. "But we'll be able to get a better grasp of that as the week goes on."

Stanford grads Brenda Villa and Margie Dingeldein also scored for the United States, which is the top-ranked team in the world.

U.S. goalie Nicolle Payne stopped seven shots.

In other games, Italy defeated Hungary, 6-4, as Manuela Zanchi scored twice. Russia topped Greece, 11-8, and Canada edged Australia, 12-11, in a sudden death penalty shootout.

In men's action, the United States Olympic team dropped its third in a row in World League play, losing to Serbia and Montenegro, 12-11, on Wednesday in Belgrade.

Team USA will meet Serbia and Montenegro again today in Belgrade before hosting Australia in Long Beach on June 30 and July 1.

The Americans feel behind, 5-0, after the first period before rallying to tie it at 8.

"I am satisfied with the play of the team except for the first period," said U.S. coach Ratko Rudic. "I hope we'll be better in the next game against them."

Stanford senior Tony Azevedo scored four goals to lead Team USA, while Stanford grad and Olympic team captain Wolf Wigo added two goals.

"It's important we won when we didn't play our best," said Serbia and Montenegro's Vanja Udovicic. "The USA is a very good team, but we are better and need to play that way in the next game."

After opening World League play with a pair of victories over Australia, the United States lost twice to undefeated Hungary in Budapest before losing to Serbia and Montenegro.

Team USA lost 9-8 and 12-7 to the Hungarians. In the second game, Azevedo and Wigo each scored once.

Stanford grad Peter Hudnut is also a member of the U.S. Olympic team, which will finalize its roster following the World League Super Finals in mid-July.
Women's cycling

The complete United State women's Olympic cycling team won't be finalized until July 12, but Menlo Park resident Christine Thorburn won't have to worry about it. She already has clinched a spot.

The 34-year-old Thorburn, who is working on her postdoctoral fellowship in rheumatology at Stanford, guaranteed her spot on the team by winning the individual time trial at the U.S. Cycling Federation's national championship in Redlands.

Thorburn wasn't expected to compete for one of the top spots and went off with the early riders instead of the elite riders.

She completed the 24-kilometer course in 34:16.00, eight seconds ahead of runner-up Amber Neben.

"The Olympic team was a goal," Thorburn said. "And I knew the time trial was the only way to obtain that goal."

Thorburn began road racing with the Stanford club team in the late 90s while she was in medical school. She had to cut back on her training for a few years due to her medical studies, but returned to extensive training last year.

"I've been able to go to more races," she said. "And I've got another year of training in my legs. I just kept riding as much as I could."

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