Courtesy: USC Athletics
SAN DIEGO, CALIF. – The No. 2 USC women’s water polo team tacked up two wins to open the Aztec Invitational in San Diego today, beating No. 12 Princeton 15-9 before notching an 18-7 win over Bucknell. The winning day gets the Trojans to 19-1 overall, with two more tilts on tap tomorrow at Aztec Aquaplex.
USC displayed offensive balance in both games, with nine Trojans scoring in each game and no one Trojan scoring more than three goals. Emily Ausmus hit a hat trick for USC against No. 12 Princeton, while four other teammates tallied two apiece. USC built out a 5-1 lead on the Tigers after giving up the opening goal. Rachel Gazzaniga had a hand in three straight scored for USC spanning the second and third frames, scoring on a 6-on-5 late in the half, then scoring again in the third and delivering an assist to Ausmus to help USC lead things 9-4. The Trojans would carry an 11-5 advantage into the fourth, where the teams matched each other goal for goal en route to USC’s 15-9 win over the Tigers.
A few hours later, USC squared off against Bucknell for the first time in program history. Four Trojan goalies factored into USC’s 18-7 win over the Bison, while Ava Stryker, Maggie Johnson and Tilly Kearns paced the offense with three goals apiece. Stryker had her hat trick on the board by halftime, helping USC to an 11-5 lead at the break. The Trojans unleashed five more goals in the third period to get out ahead 16-6, and Schneider stepped into the cage as the closer to help lock in the 18-7 Trojan victory on a rainy evening in San Diego.
NEXT:
Tomorrow (March 15), USC takes on No. 8 Harvard at 9:20 a.m. before a 1:20 p.m. meeting with No. 16 Michigan on the Trojans’ final day of competition at the Aztec Invitational, held at San Diego State’s Aztec Aquaplex.
NOTABLE:
– With five goals scored today, FR Emily Ausmus now ranks tied with Paige Hauschild for the most goals scored by a USC true freshman (68).
– Ausmus has now recorded multiple-goal games in 19 of USC’s 20 games this season.
– With goals in both games today, Ausmus and SO Ava Stryker have scored in all 20 games this season.
– With three goals scored vs. Bucknell, SR Tilly Kearns has now scored 61 goals this season — her third season scoring 60 or more goals as a Trojan.
– Kearns now has scored 223 career goals at USC — one away from tying Sofia Konoukh at No. 4 all-time.
– With two goals vs. Bucknell, SR Emma Lawson matched her career high.
– Today marked USC’s first-ever meeting against Bucknell.
AZTEC INVITATIONAL
GAME ONE
#2 USC 15, #12 Princeton 9
Friday, March 14 | Aztec Aquaplex (San Diego, Calif.)
USC 5 – 2 – 4 – 4 = 15
PRI 1 – 2 – 2 – 4 = 9
SCORING:
USC — Emily Ausmus 3, Ava Stryker 2, Meghan McAninch 2, Sofia Umeda 2, Rachel Gazzaniga 2, Maggie Johnson, Isabel Zimmerman, Alma Yaacobi, Hannah Carver.
PRI — Ava Houlahan 3, Kendall Wyer 2, Kayla Yelensky 2, Olivia Knotts, Emese Batist.
SAVES: Jada Ward (USC) 7, Lindsey Lucas (PRI) 5.
GAME TWO
#2 USC 18, Bucknell 7
Friday, March 14 | Aztec Aquaplex (San Diego, Calif.)
USC 6 – 5 – 5 – 2 = 18
BU 3 – 1 – 2 – 1 = 7
SCORING:
USC — Ava Stryker 3, Maggie Johnson 3, Tilly Kearns 3, Emma Lawson 2, Isabel Zimmerman 2, Emily Ausmus 2, Ava Knepper, Morgan Netherton, Sinia Plotz.
BU — Olivia Hopper 3, Boati Motau, Bella Schraa, Izzy Lippolis, Ashley Hopper.
SAVES: Jada Ward (USC) 1 [1st period], Anna Reed (USC) 1 [2nd period], Laine Hourigan (USC) 2 [3rd period], Lauren Schneider (USC) 3 [4th period], Tamara Torkos (BU) 8.
