The USA Men's Sevens Team finished with one win and two losses in pool play today at USA Sevens, the fourth stop on the IRB Sevens World Series, held at Petco Park in San Diego, Calif.

The U.S. started competition this morning against the Aussies, who were quick out of the gate, scoring four tries before the U.S. finally got on the board four minutes into the second half off a try by Todd Clever (San Diego, Calif.) and a conversion by Jone Naqica (Denver, Colo.). The U.S. scored again just under two minutes later when Jason Pye (Salt Lake City, Utah) touched it down and Naqica converted. It was too little, too late, however and Australia finished the victor 29-14.

In the next game of the day for the U.S., the Eagles faced England, who again started racking up the points just over a minute into the match. In fact, England found themselves up 14-0 with three and a half minutes to go in the first half. The U.S. scored two back-to-back tries, missing the conversions but gaining on England, so as to finish the half 14-10. That was as close as the Eagles got, however, and England took the second game finishing 26-10.

The tables finally turned against Kenya, as the USA stepped up and scored the first three tries, leading Kenya 19-0 at halftime. After regrouping, Kenya was able to get one in the try zone, but that was all it could muster, as the USA's Andrew McNaughton (San Francisco, Calif.) scored with under a minute left and Naqica put down his first try of the match to add to his four conversions of the game.

The USA won its first match against Kenya since 1999, blowing away the competition and its large constituency of fans with a 33-5 victory and now moves on to play Canada in the Bowl quarterfinals tomorrow at 10:44 a.m. in the morning.

"We knew it was just a matter of time," Men's National Sevens Team Coach Al Caravelli said about earning the win. "The more tournaments we get to play in, the better we will be. And, with all of these fans in the stands supporting us, this was the first time in a while that we have felt like we were finally home."

With Kenya's defeat of Australia and England's loss to the Aussie Team, the U.S. and Kenya end up in the consolation bracket competing for the bowl. Fiji, Samoa and New Zealand all finished 3-0 to lead the competition in the championship bracket for the cup.

"I think the difference was that we kept our composure and were patient," Men's National Team player Todd Clever (San Diego) said. "It feels great to get the win, but we can't focus on it too long, or we will discredit all the hard work we put into it.

"Although, Clever adds, "it does feel really good."

USA Men's National Team Scores:

Australia 29, USA 14

USA
Tries: Todd Clever, Jason Pye
Conversions: Jone Naqica 2

Australia
Tries: Nick Cummins 2, Tim Atkinson, Luke Milton, Anthony Sauer
Conversions: Atkinson, Milton

England 26, USA 10

USA
Tries: Dallen Stanford, Andrew McNaughton

England
Tries: Simon Amor 2, Charlie Amesbury 2
Conversions: Simon Amor, 3

USA 33, Kenya 5

USA
Tries: Naqica, Pye, Hamilton, Palefau, McNaugton
Conversions: Naqica 4.

Kenya
Tries: Innocent Simiyu