Courtesy: Stanford Athletics
LOS ANGELES –No. 3 Stanford picked up another top-two win this weekend, beating No. 2 USC 8-6 this afternoon to move to 13-1 on the season and 2-0 in MPSF play. 24 hours after holding UCLA to their lowest scoring total of the season, the Cardinal did the same to USC – limiting the Trojans to just six scores.
The Card once again jumped out to an early lead, going out in front by a score of 3-0 after the first quarter.
After an even 2-2 second quarter, Stanford again shut out USC with a 3-0 third quarter. A four-goal fourth quarter from USC proved too little too late, and the Card returns to northern California with wins over the top-two teams in the country.
Stanford leaves USC with a victory for the first time since 2020, when the Card won 14-8.
Soren Jensen led the way again for the Cardinal, posting a hat trick to give him 22 goals on the season. The fifth year has seen half of his goals this season come in the two weekends, scoring 11 times in the last four games.
West Temkin made 10 saves for the Card, his second-straight game with double-digit saves.
The Cardinal is in action next weekend, taking on No. 17 UC Davis on Saturday at noon PT.
No. 3 Stanford vs. No. 2 USC
USC 0 – 2 – 0 – 4 = 6
STAN 3 – 2 – 3 – 0 = 8
STAN Goals: S. Jensen (3), R. Pittman (2), D. McFarland, W. Schneider, CJ Indart
USC Goals: R. Duarte (3), L. Brnetic, A. Grgurevic, M. Miller
Courtesy: USC Athletics
LOS ANGELES — The No. 2 USC men’s water polo team was off the mark offensively today, and visiting No. 3 Stanford took advantage in an 8-6 Cardinal win over the Trojans at Uytengsu Aquatics Center. The loss makes it a weekend split for USC in MPSF action, putting the Trojans at 12-2 overall and 1-1 in conference play.
Stanford struck first in this one, while the Trojans clanged the cage on numerous occasions in spite of several 6-on-5 opportunities in the first half. The Cardinal climbed out to a 5-0 lead on the Trojans before goalie Bernardo Herzer snuffed a Stanford 6-on-5 to give USC a lift. On the next trip down, Andrej Grgurevic found Luka Brnetic for a sizzling score from distance to break the scoring silence for USC and get the Trojans on the board. Robert López Duart nabbed a steal during a Stanford 7-on-6 setup and found the open net just before the buzzer to make it a 5-2 margin at halftime.
USC’s offensive frustrations mounted again in the third as a set of power plays went awry. Stanford, meanwhile struck at the post early and then added a 6-on-5 score and a 5-meter penalty shot to move out ahead 8-2 entering the fourth. That’s where the Trojans found some momentum, although they would ultimately run out of time to complete a comeback. Max Miller earned an early 5-meter penalty shot that López Duart deposited in the first minute of the frame. He’d find Grgurevic for a fine finish that made it 8-4, and after a Brnetic field block stopped a Stanford 6-on-5, Miller earned a power play for the Trojans. The captain would be there for a rebound and a slam that got the margin to three with 2:26 to go. López Duart stole the ball again and went on a solo mission to cap off the counter, and it was 8-6 with 2:02 remaining. USC got some good looks down the stretch, but could carve the deficit down no further, as Stanford emerged with the win despite going scoreless in the last eight minutes of action.
NOTABLE:
– With three goals today, Robert López Duart now leads USC in scoring this season with 29 goals.
– López Duart also now has recorded a team-high nine multiple-goal games season.
– López Duart and Max Miller have each now scored in 13 of USC’s 14 games so far this season.
– López Duart and Miller also have each scored at least one goal in USC’s last eight straight games.
– Miller drew a game-high six exclusions today.
NEXT:
USC has a doubleheader ahead in Westchester next week, heading over to Loyola Marymount on Friday (Oct. 11) to take on Westcliff first at 4 p.m. before squaring off with the host Lions at 6 p.m.
#3 Stanford 8, #2 USC 6
Oct. 6, 2024 | Uytengsu Aquatics Center (Los Angeles, Calif.)
USC 0 – 2 – 0 – 4 = 6
STAN 3 – 2 – 3 – 0 = 8
SCORING:
USC — Robert López Duart 3, Luka Brnetic, Andrej Grgurevic, Max Miller.
STAN — Soren Jensen 3, Riley Pittman 2, CJ Indart, Will Schneider, Dash McFarland.
SAVES: Bernardo Herzer (USC) 4, West Temkin (STAN) 10.
