BEIJING • Guy Baker likes his Olympic bronze medal and loves his silver.

That missing gold? He would go gaga if he added it to his collection.

The U.S. women’s water polo coach hopes the third time is a charm for his top-ranked team, riding momentum from a win at the 2007 world championships after a bronze at the 2004 Athens Games and a silver in 2000 in Sydney.

An explosive offense has been negated by a porous defense in the Americans’ opening matches of the Beijing Games – a 12-11 victory Monday over China and a 9-9 tie Wednesday against No. 5 Italy.

Each game, Elizabeth Armstrong has looked like a goalkeeper with no Olympic experience and the U.S. has blown late leads and rallied from two-goal deficits thanks to a balanced scoring effort.

Heather Petri and Alison Gregorka brought the Americans back against Italy, scoring on consecutive possessions for a 9-7 edge in the fourth period. Petri’s shot went in off the left post, and Italian goaltender Elena Gigli didn’t get a hand on Gregorka’s shot.

Less than 30 seconds after Gregorka scored, Italy pulled within 9-8 on Tania di Mario’s goal. The equalizer came with 22 seconds left, as Elisa Casanova rifled a shot past Armstrong, into the left corner.

“It’s tough when they score in the last minute,” said U.S. center back Elsie Windes, one of 10 Americans making their Olympic debuts on a 13-person team that qualified for Beijing by winning the 2007 Pan American Games.

The Americans are favored in the third Olympic women’s water polo tournament, although the road to the gold-medal stand is tougher than ever because of the consistency of powerhouses and the improvement of teams that once were afterthoughts.

In the U.S. pool, China and 2004 Olympic champion Italy have shown they’re worthy, and No. 3 Russia is fresh off wins at the World League Super Final and the European championships. In the other pool, 2000 Olympic champion Australia presents a challenge, along with No. 4 Hungary, No. 8 Greece and No. 9 Netherlands.

“Being the defending world champions proves that we’re capable,” said U.S. center back Natalie Golda, a two-time Olympian. “It doesn’t entitle us to anything. We’re not entitled to the gold medal. We have to earn that spot on that podium.”

Baker isn’t afraid to talk about playing for a gold.

“We’ve been close,” he said. “We just want to get ourselves back in that position. We want to be back in that same spot. That’s all we’re doing right now – fighting for our lives to try to get to that spot.”-CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0256 or brian.gomez@gazettedev.gazette.com. Check out our Olympics blog at gazetteolympics.freedomblogging.com

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