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August 29, 2004 10:27 am

USA water polo team defeats Italy

By MARIBEL VILLALVA

Gannett News Service

ATHENS, Greece - The men of the U.S. water polo team will not take home a medal, but after a classification match against Italy on Sunday, the team finished in seventh place at the 2004 Summer Olympics.

``It's just great being in a foreign country with 12 of your closest friends,'' said Jeff Powers, who plays center forward. ``This has been an awesome experience. It's definitely something I will never forget.''

Teammate Brandon Brooks, the team's goalkeeper, agreed.

``The friendships we've made are definitely the best thing about this.''

This is the first Olympics for both the 23-year-old Brooks of Honolulu and the 24-year-old Powers from Chattanooga, Tenn.

The two live and train in California. Brooks lives in Los Angeles and Powers is in Irvine. And, halfway around the world in Athens, they have been roommates for the past three weeks.

``The experience could've been a lot better if it weren't for this guy keeping me up at night with his snoring,'' joked Powers about Brooks.

Brooks just shook his head and smiled.

The men's U.S. team is under the leadership of coach Radko Rudic, who led Yugoslavia to two gold medals and Italy to one gold medal before coming to the United States in 1992.

The Americans began Olympic play with wins against Croatia and Kazakhstan, but lost to Russia, Hungary and Serbia-Montenegro in the preliminary matches.

Plans for future Olympics are on hold for Brooks.

``I'm not ready to make that decision right now, but I will soon,'' he said.

Powers, on the other hand, already wants to start training.

``I have just signed a contract with Greece to play with a professional team here, but I will definitely be playing for the USA in Beijing."

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