Belden scores for team USA

Belden producing

for national team

Newport Harbor High product nets goal to help Team USA defeat Russia in World Cup opener.

Newport Harbor High alumna Anne Belden was named to the U.S. women’s senior national water polo team Sunday.

She’s already making a difference.

Belden scored a goal Tuesday as Team USA opened the FINA World Cup with a 14-10 victory over Russia in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Belden, who graduated from Newport Harbor in 2005 before helping UCLA to four straight national titles, was originally named to the travel roster for the senior national team. Belden, 23, was bumped up to the competition roster when two players were unable to make the trip to New Zealand.

The lefty scored on a lob shot with 1:45 left in the third quarter against Russia, helping the United States to what was at the time an 11-6 advantage. Russia didn’t get within three goals the rest of the way.

This summer is the first time Belden, the 2005 Newport Harbor Female Athlete of the Year who helped the Sailors win the CIF Southern Section Division I title her junior year, has been on the senior national team roster. She was named to the all-tournament team after helping Team USA to a second-place finish last week at the Six Nations Tournament last week in Sydney, Australia.

The United States, coached by Belden’s former UCLA coach Adam Krikorian, continues play at the FINA World Cup today against Australia.

— From staff reports