RIO DE JANEIRO -- After competing at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Center during the preliminary round last week, the U.S. womens water polo players had a more impressive venue Monday afternoon. For one thing, they played Brazil at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium, where Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky swam to multiple gold medals.And for another, the pools color was blue, not green.According to Rio Olympic officials, last weeks sudden and surprising green color in the Maria Lenk pools for water polo and diving was due to the mistaken use of hydrogen peroxide. That created a sea of concern about the waters safety, but the U.S. team said it was no big deal at all.Weve played in a lot of different types of pools, goalkeeper Ashleigh Johnson said. It was just another pool.U.S. coach Adam Krikorian said people made a much bigger deal about the color than was warranted and that the team has been in much worse pools. Even the pools we train at sometimes. It happens, he said. Its fine as long as the temperature is OK and its healthy. The players werent saying anything to me [about problems].Captain Maggie Steffens said she received many questions about the green water but that it had no effect and was no different than playing any other water polo game. Still, she loved playing in the swimming center Monday where Phelps had competedYou can even feel the energy that swimming left here, she said. Anytime you get to be in a stadium or pool that your sport plays in and feel the energy that was left by legends, literally legends, it makes playing so much more unique. You can almost feel that energy in the water.The Brazil team certainly felt the energy, albeit in a bad way for their chances, because the energy from the U.S. team completely dominated the game. The Americans led 13-0 at one point on their way to the 13-3 victory and advanced to a semifinal against Hungary on Wednesday.When we walked out, I could feel the energy, I could feel the passion that was bubbling through the stands, Steffens said. I was just smiling, and looking up I could see a lot of American flags. I hope that one day we can play in the final and fill up those stands. And make history when it comes to womens water polo.The Americans are trying to become the first country to win consecutive gold medals in womens water polo, which was added to the Olympics in 2000. They won the 2012 Olympics, and the way they have been playing, theyre a good pick to win here. They have yet to lose a game while outscoring opponents 47-17. Nine U.S. players scored goals Monday.As many goals as the U.S. has scored, Krikorian said the defense has been the biggest part of the teams success. Johnson did not allow a single goal Monday. The U.S. gave up Brazils three goals after Krikorian subbed for her near the end of the game.While water polo is not a popular sport in the United States, Steffens says the U.S. women are strong because of the playing opportunities that athletes in California and Florida get, plus the tight connections they can make with past Olympians. She also wants more people to notice the sport.I truly think water polo is not only the most fun sport to play, but to watch, too, Steffens said. Yes, Im biased, but I grew up a swimmer and a soccer player, a basketball player. I did gymnastics. Im a huge Warriors fan now. I love watching womens soccer. I watch other sports, but man, water polo encompasses all of those sports.Youre able to sit down and watch one hour of the sport and get the sense of basketball, get the feel of swimming, get the feel of wrestling, get the excitement of soccer. And I would love to show that to the world ... with the way we play. We would love to move forward and play the semis and the final in this pool, and we have to play our best.Water polo is extremely popular in the Balkans and central Europe, including Hungary, which has won nine gold medals on the mens side but no medals on the womens side. The U.S. beat Hungary 11-6 in the preliminary round here.Its the semifinals, so well have a tough matchup no matter what, Steffens said. But I think if we can continue to play with the heart and the passion [well win]. And I would like to have the Brazil fans even cheering for us. Nike Dunks For Sale Online . -- Ohio States Urban Meyer has never had any issue acclimating to the biggest stages in college football. Best Cheap Nike Dunks . After Mondays hard-fought loss, the wait seemed longer than usual. Getting set to go their separate ways for a short Christmas break, the Raptors coach credited his team for their effort on a seemingly impossible three-game road trip, urging them to build on that success when they get back to work at the end of the week. http://www.nikedunkcheap.com/ . The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling "puts an end to my dreams of being a top player," the 27-year-old Troicki said in a statement. "I worked my entire life for it, and it has been taken away from me in one afternoon by a doctor I didnt know," said Troicki, whose ranking peaked at No. Nike Dunk Shoes For Sale . Coach Tom Thibodeau says the former MVP will probably start travelling with the team in the next few weeks. Rose tore the meniscus in his right knee at Portland in November and was ruled out for the remainder of the season by the Bulls. Nike Dunk Cheap China . Q: Team Canada announces their Olympic roster three weeks from today. Who is general manager Steve Yzerman watching? LeBrun: Over the last 48 hours, hes taken in the home-and-home between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche with Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene being the obvious targets. The first two times Clayton Kershaw opposed Madison Bumgarner, it was too early to gauge whether it would be the Los Angeles Dodgers or San Francisco Giants winning the National League West.The left-handed aces opposed each other twice in a span of six days in the first two weeks of the season with the Dodgers winning both meetings. Kershaw went 1-0 with a 2.40 ERA in those games and Bumgarner was 0-1 with a 4.09 ERA.Fast forward six months later, it is Kershaws Dodgers who are in first place over Bumgarners Giants, and the two stars will be on the mound in the opener of a three-game series on Monday night at Dodger Stadium.It will be the 10th regular-season matchup between Kershaw and Bumgarner, who made their major league debuts 15 1/2 months apart in 2008 and 2009. Kershaw has gone 3-4 with a 2.18 ERA and Bumgarner is 4-3 with a 2.88 ERA in those games.Kershaw will be making his third start since returning from a back injury. When he pitched five innings in Wednesdays 2-0 victory at Yankee Stadium, it could not have pleased him and the Dodgers any more.The three-time Cy Young award winner pitched around two rain delays, threw 64 pitches and about 16 more in a simulated game. He retired the first 12 hitters and ended his outing by striking out Yankees catcher Austin Romine with two on in a scoreless game.We felt comfortable with that delay to go back out there for the fifth. I think that just individually for Clayton it couldnt have worked out any better under the circumstances, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. Fastball was good, velocity was really plus. He got the strikeout when he needed to, but to see Clayton go out there and do what he does, it was a huge lift for us.It was pretty much the same (intensity) both times, Kershaw said. I was obviously thankful to be back the first time, but I wasnt thinking about that. Once you start pitching, youre pitching. Youre trying to get guys out, and if youre not doing that effectively you need to look at it. So I did that.Just a little bit was better overall today. Maybe it was back on a normal routine, a normal four days almost -- or whatever my normal is now. Maybe that helped a little bit, I dont know.Kershaw is 7-1 with a 1.31 ERA in eight home starts this season. He has not pitched at home since beating WWashington on June 20.ddddddddddddAgainst the Giants, he is 18-7 with a 1.62 ERA in 34 games. He has posted a 0.80 WHIP, held Giants hitters to a .182 average and on June 10 Kershaw struck out 13 without a walk on 108 pitches in a 3-2 victory.The current Giants have a collective .161 average against Kershaw and its a significant drop-off after Buster Posey and Angel Pagan. Posey and Pagan are a combined .250 (37-for-148) against Kershaw. The rest of the team is 29-for-263 (.110).Burmgarner will be seeking his 100th career win. He is 4-5 with a 3.87 ERA in his last 12 starts after he took the loss Wednesday against the San Diego Padres when he allowed three runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings.Tough luck. No other way to describe it, Bumgarner said of the loss. I made some good pitches.He is 13-9 with a 2.78 ERA in 25 appearances against the Dodgers, though he has a 5.63 ERA in his two outings against Los Angeles this season.The current Dodgers have a combined .243 average against Bumgarner and the best average belongs to outfielder Enrique Hernandez .579 (11-for-19) with three home runs. Justin Turner is 11-for-41 and left-handed hitters Adrian Gonzalez and Chase Utley are 10-for-50 and 2-for-12, respectively.The Giants led by 6 1/2 games at the All-Star break but lost the lead to the Dodgers on Aug. 21 after falling 2-0 to the Mets. That loss also put the Giants in a fight for the wild card with the Mets and Cardinals.Since the lead changed hands, the Giants have lost 15 of 26 and the Dodgers have won 17 of 27.The Dodgers missed a chance to extend the lead to six games when Ross Stripling gave up a 10th-inning single to Arizonas Brandon Drury in Sundays 10-9 loss.Weve been waiting for this series for a while, Roberts said. I think were still playing pretty good baseball.The Giants were held to five hits and were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position during Sundays 3-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. The loss dropped San Francisco into the second wild spot, one game behind the Mets and one ahead of St. Louis.We created some chances today; we just couldnt get them in, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. We couldnt get the big hit. 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