Seal Beach Women Help U.S. Water Polo Team Beat Canada, 11-4

By City News Service

The U.S. women's water polo team scored the first five goals and went on to defeat Canada, 11-4, Tuesday night in Game 1 of a best-of- three FINA World Cup qualifying series at Foothill High School in North Tustin.

The U.S. team practices in Los Alamitos.

Maggie Steffens and Melissa Seidemann each scored three goals and Kami Craig and Lolo Silver earned two each for the U.S., which can wrap up the series with a victory Wednesday.

A third game, if necessary, would be played Thursday. All games will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Foothill High School. Admission is free.

The U.S. led 4-0 at the end of the first period. Steffens scored the first two goals and Seidemann and Silver scored later in the quarter.

Steffens, Craig, Seidemann and Rachel Fattal of Seal Beach scored in the second period as the U.S. increased its lead to 8-2 at halftime.

Craig scored in the third period and Seidemann and Silver in the fourth.

The U.S. scored on all five of its power-play opportunities, Canada two of eight.

U.S. goalkeeper Betsey Armstrong made 11 saves.

The U.S. is the world's top-ranked women's water polo team. Canada is tied with Spain for seventh in the rankings compiled by FINA, the worldwide governing body for aquatics.

The U.S. is 9-0 against Canada this year.