Another championship chapter of the fiercest rivalry in women’s college water polo will be written Sunday when No. 1 Stanford takes on No. 2 USC for the national title in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The action is slated to start at 4 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
It marks the seventh national championship meeting since 2010 between the Cardinal and Trojans, who hold a 4-2 edge in those matchups. Only Stanford and UCLA have met more times (eight), but they haven’t faced off for a title since 2017. It’s also a rematch of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Championship two weeks ago when the second-seeded Cardinal held off the defending national champions, 11-9.
USC booked its return trip to the title game with a 9-7 victory over No. 3 Cal in the second semifinal on Saturday afternoon.
All-MPSF First Team selection Tilly Kearns and Second Team honoree Bayley Weber scored three goals apiece to lead the Trojans (20-3) offensively. Weber added two assists and a steal.
Emma Wright also tallied a hat-trick for Cal, which found the back of the net only once during a 13-minute scoring slump spanning the end of the first period through the beginning of the fourth. The drought doomed the Bears’ late rally, leaving them just short of their second national championship appearance in school history. Cal goalie Isabel Williams recorded 10 saves while USC’s Carolyne Stern stopped nine shots.
USC is seeking back-to-back titles for the first time in program history.
After No. 4 UCLA tied Saturday’s first semifinal at 5-5 with the opening goal of the second half, Stanford answered by scoring four of the next five goals over a four-minute stretch and holding the Bruins scoreless for nearly seven minutes during the final period to seal a 10-7 win.
The Cardinal (24-2) never trailed thanks to hat-tricks from Aria Fischer and Makenzie Fischer, triumphing over UCLA for the fourth time this season. Ryann Neushul chipped in two goals and three assists. Stanford shut down reigning MPSF Player of the Year Maddie Musselman, who dished out two assists but couldn’t find the back of the net for the Bruins. Malia Allen had three goals and an assist to lead UCLA.
Georgia Phillips posted eight saves for the Bruins while Maya Avital blocked five shots for the Cardinal. Stanford has now won 10 straight for the second time this year, with its defense limiting opponents to single-digit scoring throughout that streak.
The Cardinal, who have reached 11 of the last 12 NCAA finals, have yet to lose away from home this season (16-0). They’re 2-1 against the Trojans so far this year. In the 2019 championship game, their last title meeting, Stanford escaped with a 9-8 win against USC.
Stanford 10, UCLA 7
Stanford goals: Aria Fischer (3), Makenzie Fischer (3), Ryan Neushul (2), Jewel Roemer (1), Sophie Wallace (1)
UCLA goals: Malia Allen (3), Abbi Hill (2), Emma Lineback (1), Katrina Drake (1)
USC 9, Cal 7
USC goals: Tilly Kearns (3), Bayley Weber (3), Sophia Lucas (2), Alejandra Aznar (1)
Cal goals: Emma Wright (3), Cecily Turner (2), Ruby Swadling (1), Rozanne Voorvelt (1)
