The USA Men’s Senior National Team resumed their series with Serbia on Saturday in front of a large crowd at the University of California-Berkeley. For the first time in the series Serbia suited up their entire roster and came away winners 18-15 in a high scoring battle. Alex Bowen (Santee, CA/Stanford/Stanford) scored six goals and Bret Bonanni(Huntington Beach, CA/Stanford/Stanford) added four goals while McQuin Baron (North Tustin, CA/Mater Dei HS/United) and Jon Sibley (Lafayette, CA/California/Lamorinda) combined in net for 10 saves. Team USA battled back from a 5-1 deficit early in the first half to the tie the match at 7-7 early in the third but would never take the lead. The series concludes on Sunday at Stanford University with a 3pm pt start. Tickets will be available at the door and the match will also be streamed live, free of charge, by CoachesAid.com. To access the webcast, click here.
Filip Filipovic played in his first game in the series and wasted little time making his presence known scoring the first goal of the match. Those goals led Serbia to take a 4-1 lead after the first period and a 5-1 lead 90 seconds into the second. Team USA battled back with three second period goals from Bowen to trail 6-5 with 3:37 to go in the first half. Serbia answered with a goal, but Bonanni responded and the United States trailed just 7-6 at halftime.
On the first possession of the second half Josh Samuels (Villa Park, CA/UCLA/NYAC) came out firing and tied the game at 7-7. Serbia answered with three straight goals to grab a 10-7 lead with 6:16 to play in the third. The teams would trade goals throughout the remainder of the period with Bonanni, Bowen and John Mann (Newport Beach, CA/California/NYAC) finding the goal. Serbia continued to have all the answers and led 15-12 going to the final eight minutes.
Team USA had a strong start to the fourth with Bowen connecting on a five meter penalty and then Conner Cleary (Goleta, CA/Stanford/Stanford) following a shot in close for a score and 15-14 game with 4:14 to play. Serbia answered on the next possession to go up 16-14 with four minutes to play. Despite multiple chances including a power play and two penalty shots, the United States could muster just one more goal when Bonanni scored with 2:16 left for a 16-15 game with 2:16 left. After the fifth goal of the game for Nemanja Ubovic, Filipovic finished things off with a goal with 43 seconds left to cap the match, giving Serbia an 18-15 lead.
Scoring
USA 15 (1, 5, 6, 3) A. Bowen 6, B. Bonanni 4, J. Samuels 3, C. Cleary 1, J. Mann 1
SRB 18 (4, 3, 8, 3) N. Ubovic 5, F. Filipovic 3, D. Mandic 2, D. Pijetlovic 2, A. Prlainovic 2, N. Dedovic 1, M. Cuk 1, S. Nikic 1, N. Raden 1
Saves – USA – M. Baron – 7 – J. Sibley 3 – SRB – G. Pijetlovic 6 – B. Mitrovic 4
Swimming News / Water Polo News courtesy of USA Water Polo.