Stanford Grad Leads Water Polo Team to Win

The team is comprised of several Stanford University graduates

Stanford graduate Tony Azevedo scored a goal with just 57 seconds left to give the U.S. Olympic Men's Water Polo team an 8-7 victory over Montenegro on Sunday.

With the clock winding down in the fourth quarter Azevedo delivered a strike from long distance to seemingly put the game out of reach.

But just 11 seconds later Montenegro’s Vladimir Gojkovic delivered a goal of his own to create some late drama.

On the following possession Long Beach’s Ryan Bailey turned the ball over on a foul, giving Montenegro one more chance.

However, stout defense by the U.S. left Montenegro unable to get a shot off as time expired.

Peter Varellas led the offensive onslaught for the U.S. with three goals.

Southern Californians Adam Wright, Tim Hutten, Bailey and Azevedo each contributed a goal apiece. Two other players have Bay Area ties: Peter Hudnut and Layne Beaubien both graduated from Stanford University.

Since taking silver at the Beijing Games, the U.S. team has not won a medal at a major competition.

The U.S. will face Romania in group play Tuesday. Romania defeated Great Britain in 13-4 romp on Sunday.

To see an earlier NBC Bay Area report on the women's water polo team, click here.

View more videos at: http://nbcbayarea.com.

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