Arpin, Canada nip U.S. in women's water polo

By KEVIN TRESOLINI

Gannett News Service

ATHENS, Greece - Marie Luc Arpin has played in hundreds of water polo games since her first at age 11. But she never was involved in one resembling Wednesday's at the Olympic Aquatic Centre.

The former University of Hawaii player could reveal that with a smile on her face after her Canadian team, seemingly sunk, rallied to stun the United States 6-5 with five goals in the final 5 minutes, 36 seconds of their Group B preliminary encounter at the Summer Olympics.

Arpin, 26, didn't score for Canada, but played nearly 22 of the game's 27 minutes. It was the 87th game of her career for the national team.

"Quite frankly, I've never been involved in a game that had such a reversal, and a reversal by us that was seriously awesome," Arpin said. "I think we just never gave up, kept the spirit up. It was a matter of getting the first goal in. We're a really a tight group and I think that helps."

Canada had lost to Russia 8-6 in its first game and meets Hungary on Friday. A defeat Wednesday might have seriously imperiled its hopes for a medal. The top three in each of the four-team groups advance to medal play, with the first-place teams earning a quarterfinal bye.

That was of little concern to the Canadians while in the midst of their match with their U.S. neighbors, many of whom the Canada players know.

"You can't think about that during the game," Arpin said. "If you do, you're off focus. That's what I think we did really well - keep our focus even though things seemed to be so far out of our reach. We kept going and it paid off like you wouldn't believe."

This is Arpin's second Olympics, having also played with the Canadian team that finished fifth in the 2000 Sydney Games. She was also on Canada's third- and fourth-place teams from the 2001 and 2003 worlds.

This will likely be her last Olympics, though. Arpin is close to completing her mechanical engineering degree at Montreal's McGill University in her native Quebec. While she can foresee the imminent end of her water polo career, she'll always remember the strong role Hawaii played in its formation.

"Honolulu was huge for me," she said. "I was pretty young when I went there, just 19. In Canada, we don't play as many games as in the U.S. In Honolulu, I didn't know anyone and, obviously, if they bring you in on a scholarship, they expect something from you.

"That was pressure, and I think I learned how to deal with pressure there. It was good for me. We played many, many games and that really helped, too."

Canadian coach Patrick Oaten appreciates her myriad contributions.

"She's a huge team player," Oaten said. "She's not scared to take on any role. (Wednesday) we asked her to just play consistently, do nothing spectacular, play a simple game. She's a pleasure to coach because she'll do anything."