Courtesy: USC Athletics
CLAREMONT, CALIF. — The No. 2 USC women’s water polo team hit a high gear offensively in collecting two wins in Claremont, Calif., today, topping host Pomona-Pitzer 20-7 and No. 21 Marist 19-10 at Haldeman Pool. Along the way, USC senior Tilly Kearns propelled herself up the career scoring charts, cracking the top 10 with five goals vs. the Sagehens and then making the move to tie at No. 5 all-time alongside fellow Olympian Moriah Van Norman with 215 career goals as a Trojan. USC is now 16-1 overall.
USC blasted its way to a 7-0 lead on the Sagehens with six different Trojans striking in that opening rally. Emily Ausmus tallied two in that surge before the hosts got on the board. Tilly Kearns tacked up back-to-back goals next to get her hat trick on the board early and make a power move into USC’s all-time top-10 scoring list. Up 9-1 at the end of the first, USC kept chugging in the second behind some key work in the cage by goalie Anna Reed. Kearns made her way to five goals by halftime while Reed’s saves count also was a five at the break as USC rendered Pomona-Pitzer scoreless in the second quarter to lead things 15-1. The scoring pace slowed a bit for USC in the third, but the Trojans were still ahead of the game in taking an 18-3 lead into the fourth frame. In those final eight minutes, Rachel Gazzaniga got to a hat trick and Sally McCarthy joined the scoresheet while Reed wrapped the game with a career-high nine saves in a 20-7 final Trojan victory.
Minutes later, USC splashed back down with Jada Ward in goal for the Trojan defense against Marist. It was tighter first frame at a 4-2 margin after eight minutes of play, but then USC found a groove and jetting to an 11-4 halftime advantage while Kearns and Ava Stryker each tallied two to help key a Trojan takeover. Laine Hourigan checked into the cage for the third, and only one Red Fox goal got through on her watch. Maggie Johnson got to a hat trick in this one with two goals for the USC cause during the third period. Gazzaniga hit that mark later in the fourth before Johnson netted her career-high fourth followed by a save from USC goalie Lauren Schneider to round out USC’s 19-10 win over Marist.
NEXT:
USC returns to home waters next week to set up for its MPSF opener, hosting Indiana at 1 p.m. on Saturday (March 8) at Uytengsu Aquatics Center.
NOTABLE:
– With her five goals vs. Pomona-Pitzer, SR Tilly Kearns moved up to rank No. 9 all-time in career scoring at USC with 212 goals as a Trojan.
– With three more goals scored vs. Marist, Kearns now ranks tied at No. 5 all-time with Moriah Van Norman at 215 career goals.
– With five saves vs. Marist, JR Jada Ward now ranks as USC’s No. 10 all-time goalie in career saves with 150.
– With nine saves vs. Pomona-Pitzer, RS FR Anna Reed set a new career high.
– With three goals vs. Pomona-Pitzer, SR Emma Lawson set a new career high.
– With four goals vs. Marist, JR Maggie Johnson matched her career high.
– With four goals vs. Pomona-Pitzer and two vs. Marist, Ausmus has recorded multiple-goal games in 16 of USC’s 17 games this season.
– Now with 58 goals scored this season, Ausmus is one of seven Trojans to score 50 or more goals as a true freshman — the last was Paige Hauschild (68) in 2018.
CONVERGENCE TOURNAMENT
#2 USC 20, Pomona-Pitzer 7
Saturday, March 1 | Haldeman Pool (Claremont, Calif.)
USC 9 – 6 – 3 – 2 = 20
PP 1 – 0 – 2 – 4 = 7
SCORING:
USC —Tilly Kearns 5, Emily Ausmus 4, Rachel Gazzaniga 3, Emma Lawson 3, Ava Stryker 2, Meghan McAninch, Sofia Umeda, Sally McCarthy.
PP — Mia Amberger 4, Kaylee Stigar, Layla Szymczak, Paityn Richardson.
SAVES: Anna Reed (USC) 9, Zosia Amberger (PP) 4, Thea Pine (PP) 3.
#2 USC 19, #21 Marist 10
Saturday, March 1 | Haldeman Pool (Claremont, Calif.)
USC 4 – 7 – 5 – 3 = 19
MAR 2 – 2 – 1 – 5 = 10
SCORING:
USC — Maggie Johnson 4, Tilly Kearns 3, Rachel Gazzaniga 3, Ava Stryker 3, Emily Ausmus 2, Meghan McAninch 2, Emma Lawson, Hannah Carver.
MAR — Kendall De Beer 3, Lela McCarroll 2, Emily Scheerer 2, Claudia Lee, Ella Baumgarten, Rachel Dean.
SAVES: Jada Ward (USC) 5 [1st half], Laine Hourigan (USC) 1 [3rd period], Lauren Schneider (USC) 1 [4th period], Ines Sanchez (MAR) 11, Zoe Seaboch 1.
