As far as showdowns go, they usually don’t get much bigger than this.

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Shams Shaikh

Rising senior Jessica Steffens and the top-ranked U.S. women’s water polo squad pulled out a win over No. 2 Australia last Thursday, thanks largely to the efforts of team leader Brenda Villa ‘03.

A record 3,000 fans filled Avery Aquatic Center for the face-off between the No. 1 U.S. Olympic Team and No. 2 Australia, making it the largest turn-out for any U.S. women’s water polo event in history. Hundreds of disappointed fans waited in lines for hours to get a ticket, only to be turned away when the stadium was filled to capacity.

Dubbed the “Blastoff to Beijing,” last Thursday’s exhibition was the last in a series of four games between the U.S. and Australia in preparation for the Olympic Games in Beijing. Although Australia put up a good fight the entire way, the U.S. team took home a 7-5 win, finishing 3-1 in its series with Australia.

It was a clear sunny day, perfect weather for water polo, with people packed shoulder to shoulder on the bleachers. On the sidelines, the U.S. men’s swimming team watched the players warm up, and a crowd of girls shrieked with delight as they stampeded down the stairs in a comical attempt to catch a glimpse of the famous Michael Phelps.

But at the sound of the gun, the U.S. team got right down to business. Brenda Villa ‘03, a former member of the Cardinal team and three-time U.S. Olympic water polo team player, scored the first goal of the match with 3:54 remaining in the first quarter to put the U.S. Team into the lead, 1-0. This would be the only goal of the first period, however, despite several incredible shots and close calls on both sides.

Australia scored within the first 30 seconds of the second quarter, tying the game at 1-1, but roughly 90 seconds later Villa knocked them back down, lobbing in a shot from the middle.

But when Villa was whistled out for a five-meter penalty, the Australians surged ahead with two goals, as they took their first lead of the game at 3-2. The lead didn’t last for long, though, as Allison Gregorka ‘07 sent a monstrous lob shot into the net to tie the score back up again at 3-3.

The teams tussled back and forth during the third quarter, with both showing incredible energy and spunk. There were plenty of fouls called, and on multiple occasions skirmishes broke out between opposing players away from the action.

Rough play was a theme of the game. Jane Larkins and Skylar Dorosin, high-school club water polo players who had the opportunity to sit with the U.S. team during the game, reported seeing huge red marks on the players’ backs and even some blood from vicious grabs and scratches.

Although the game was intense throughout, it was not until the fourth quarter that everything was turned up a few notches.

Suddenly, with renewed energy, both teams went into aggressive offensive attacks, sparking a suspenseful slew of daring shots, gutsy blocks, stealthy steals and tricky ball play. The U.S. team led 6-5 going into the last quarter, and Australia was never able to score the tying goal.

In an attempt to generate some last-minute offense, Australia pulled its goalie out of the net. But the move backfired, when Villa once again stepped up with a goal from the halfway mark. The tremendous shot sealed the deal at 7-5, with six seconds left of play.

With elite performances against some of the best in the world, it’s no wonder Villa’s teammates turn to her for leadership. Her experience as a three-time Olympian gives her the ability to answer them.

“My job is to remind them that it’s just about water polo, to not get distracted,” Villa said of her role following the win.

“This was really exciting,” Gregorka added. “[I’m] super fired up — Australia is always a fun rival to play. It’s always exciting, and like Brenda Villa said, Avery is one of the best facilities to play at. We played well — our goal was to build on each game, and we did what we set out to do.”

The U.S. women will open their Olympic competition against host China on Aug. 11.