Courtesy: USC Athletics
STANFORD, Calif. – The No. 2 USC men’s water polo team took down No. 1 UCLA, 14-11, in the MPSF title game on Sunday, winning the program’s fourth consecutive conference tournament title in the process.
The Trojans surged ahead in the first half and held UCLA to no more than three goals in any one quarter to beat the Bruins for the second time this season. The win also secures USC’s spot in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
USC outscored the Bruins 4-2 in the first quarter and then put up six goals in the second to take a 10-5 lead into the break. UCLA scored three goals in each of the final two quarters, but the Trojans did enough offensively to hold onto a multiple goal lead all the way to the final whistle.
The closest the Bruins got was 13-11 with a goal at the 2:10 mark in the fourth quarter, but Efe Naipoglu answered with a goal on the next possession and the Trojan defense held UCLA scoreless for the final two minutes of play.
Charles Mills was brilliant in goal, posting 12 saves and blocking 52.2% of the shots he faced. Robert Lopez-Duart led the offensive charge, posting four goals on six shots. Jack Martin, Strahinja Krstic and Naipoglu each had two-goal games.
USC will find out its NCAA Tournament draw tomorrow during the selection show at 9 a.m. PT. The NCAA Tournament will run Dec. 5-7 and will be held at Stanford’s Avery Aquatic Center.
