Publication Date: Friday, August 20, 2004
Mendoza a big hit with Team USA softball
Mendoza a big hit with Team USA softball
(August 20, 2004) Rogan earns second medal; Walsh getting close to gold in beach volleyball
by Rick Eymer
Men's swimmer Markus Rogan continued his medal run with a second-place finish in the 200 back on Thursday at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.
Rogan, a Stanford grad who is competing for Austria, swam a 1:57.35 to earn his second Silver Medal of the Olympics. He also finished second in the 100 back on Monday.
American Aaron Piersol took home the Gold Medal in both events. He swam a 1:54.95 to win the 200 back.
Stanford grad Jessica Mendoza also appears to be headed for gold, as the softball outfielder has played an important role as Team USA has won all six of its Olympic preliminary games by shutouts.
Mendoza collected two hits and drove in two runs as the United States defeated Greece, 7-0, on Thursday.
Mendoza is batting .385 (5-for-13) with a double, triple and four RBI for the Americans. She has scored five runs and has a slugging percentage of .615 as the U.S. clinched a berth in the semifinals.
Team USA's pitching staff has yet to allow a run in 35 innings of Olympic competition, while striking out 42. The pitchers have thrown five one-hitters in the six victories.
Stanford grad Kerri Walsh, and her partner Misty May, won their third straight match, beating Czech Republic's Sona Novakova and Eva Celbova, 21-17, 21-17, in the preliminary round of women's beach volleyball on Thursday.
Walsh and May, who needed just 40 minutes to win the match, advance to today's round of 16.
In women's water polo, Team USA was upset by Canada, 5-1, on Wednesday as Stanford grads Brenda Villa and Ellen Estes were held scoreless. Stanford grad Jackie Frank, who six saves in the goal, was working on a shutout into the final minutes of the third quarter. Canada scored five times in the final period to post the victory. Stanford grad Margie Dingeldein scored a goal for the Americans, who meet Russia today.
The Olympic men's water polo team also suffered its first loss of the tournament, dropping a 7-5 decision to Hungary on Thursday as Stanford senior Tony Azevedo scored twice.
Azevedo is the leading scorer in the tournament to date, with seven goals. The Americans are 2-1 in pool play.
Team USA plays Russia on Saturday, with a berth in next week's medal round at stake.
The Americans beat Kazakhstan, 9-6, on Tuesday as Stanford grad Wolf Wigo scored four goals. Stanford grad Lance Beaubien also scored while Azevedo scored twice.
Stanford grad Julie Foudy recorded an assists as the U.S. women's soccer team tied Australia, 1-1, on Tuesday. The Americans finished 2-0-1 in pool play and will meet Japan today in a quarterfinal match.
Former Stanford men's tennis stars Bob and Mike Bryan split their two doubles matches and were eliminated from competition.
Stanford junior swimmer Dana Kirk finished ninth, just missing qualifying for the finals, in the 200 fly with a time of 2:10.69 and Stanford freshman swimmer Caroline Bruce also just missed the finals, finishing ninth in the 200 breast in a time of 2:27.60 on Wednesday.
Stanford junior Kristen Caverly finished 17th in preliminary rounds of the 200 back in 2:15.34 on Thursday.
Stanford senior Jamie Schroeder and the men's four USA rowing team finished second in the repechage in a time of 5:51.13 to reach the semifinals on Wednesday, but then finished 11th to fail to qualify for the finals.
Stanford grad Logan Tom recorded 19 points and Cardinal senior Ogonna Nnamani added six points but the American women's volleyball team dropped a 26-24, 22-25, 27-25, 23-25, 19-17 decision to the Dominican Republic on Wednesday to fall to 1-2 in Olympic competition. The U.S. plays Russia on Friday and Cuba on Sunday as it tries to qualify for the medal round.
Stanford alum Christine Thorburn finished fourth in the women's cycling time trial on Wednesday in a time of 32:14.82, just over a minute behind Gold Medal winner Leontien Zijlaard-Van Moorsel of the Netherlands.
Stanford assistant track and field coach Kristin Heaston threw the shot put 56-4 in the preliminary round and finished 22nd overall.
Stanford grad Sabrina Kokler and the Canada Women's Eight rowing team finished fifth in the repechage on Wednesday and failed to qualify for the finals.
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