By TERRY JONES -- Edmonton Sun
 SYDNEY - Rule No. 1 of any team sport is 'Don't Chase the Game.'

 The Canadian women's water polo team, regarded as our nations only hope for a team sport medal at these Olympic Games (if you don't count rowing eights as a team sport) chased it against Russia in the first of five games in five days.

 They caught it. And they feel more than a little fortunate that they did.

 A 7-7 tie in the Olympic lid-lifter for Canada was more disaster averted than any accomplishment in the six-team tournament in which the top four proceed to the medal round.

 Requiring a stupendous save by the world's greatest water polo goalie, Josee Marsolais of Laval, Que., and the old hockey scenario of a great save followed by a goal at the other end, scored by Marie-Claude Deslieres of Montreal, completed a down-by-two-goal comeback to save the Canadian bacon.

 "We played much better at the end,'' said Marsolais, who for some strange reason didn't start the game but was in the Canadian cage four minute, into the game when the Canadians gave up two soft ones with Isabelle Auger of Montreal in goal.

 "At the end, we played like we were supposed to play.

 '`We should have won that one. Because of this one all the others are even more important.''

 Marsolais, currently studying for her masters degree in sports psychology, didn't exactly stand on her head (although in this sport that would probably result in drowning) for most of the match. But she was there when it mattered most.

 "I didn't make all the saves I should have at the beginning,'' she said. "But I caught up at the end.''

 Canadian coach Daniel Berthelette of Montreal said the Canucks showed true grit to save a result in Day One.

 "We never quit. Josee made big saves in the last quarter. She made the big save on the breakaway and a team-mate answered back.

 "We showed a lot of character. We played pretty well six-on-six but we didn't get it done on the power play.

 "Russia is going to be a tough team to beat in this tournament. People who thought we were supposed to squash Russia don't know what women's water polo is all about.''

 All looked well for Canada early when Ann Dow of Montreal, who was born on May Day, scored first.

 She was Canada's leading scorer, in the end with three goals.

 Johnanne Begin of Montreal scored two and captain Cora Campbell Calgary had the other.

 "We were playing catch-up,'' said Campbell.

 "This game was not our style. Unfortunately, we didn't do well on six-on-fives. But we came back. We couldn't lose that game.

 "That Russian team is very physical. There was a lot of grabbing and a lot of elbows. In that first quarter they played ultra-physical to try to get us off our game and I think that shook us up a bit.

 '`They were just awful the way they played dirty.

 "But at the end of the game we had smiles and they looked miserable. And so they should have.

 '`They had a two goal lead and lost it. They shouldn't be that happy.''