July 30, 2012

LONDON -

The United States' Maggie Steffens tied an Olympic Games record with seven goals as the Americans outlasted Hungary, 14-13, to open play at the 2012 Olympic Games Monday (July 30) in London. Of the two Golden Bears on the Team USA squad, only Elsie Windes (2004-07) played Monday, seeing 14:52 minutes of action and recording an assist. Heather Petri (1997-99, 01), the oldest member of the USA Olympic team at 34, did not play against Hungary

Team USA never trailed in the high scoring affair, but the match was tied on three occasions. The Americans will next meet Spain in Group A play on Wednesday at 10:20 a.m. Pacific Standard Time. The match will air on NBC tape delayed at 12:20 p.m.

Team USA features seven returners from the 2008 team that won the silver medal in Beijing, China, including Petri and Windes. The Americans clinched a berth to the 2012 Olympic Games by winning the gold medal at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, with a 27-26 victory over Canada, Oct. 29, 2011. Canada had featured Emily Csikos, who will return to Cal for her senior year in 2013 under head coach Richard Corso. Csikos helped the Bears to a national runner-up finish in 2011.

Petri and Brenda Villa are the first U.S. women to compete in four consecutive Olympic Games in water polo. Women's water polo first became an Olympic sport at the 2000 Sydney, Australia games.

Petri lettered at Cal from 1997-99 and returned to finish her degree and eligibility in 2001. The Orinda, Calif., native earned her third Olympic medal in 2008 after taking home a bronze medal in 2004 and silver in 2000. Windes, a Portland, Ore. native, made her first Olympic appearance in 2008 after a stellar career for the Bears, earning All-America honors from 2005-07.