Courtesy: USC Athletics
LOS ANGELES — The No. 2 USC women’s water polo team broke open a back-and-forth battle with a power move in the fourth period of play, knocking out a 17-12 win over visiting No. 1 Stanford in the Trojans’ most powerful offensive output on record against the Cardinal. In a series dating back to 1996, USC and Stanford have had plenty of epic battles, but today’s decisive win by the Trojans marked the most goals scored by either team in a USC-Stanford matchup. Today at Uytengsu Aquatics Center, the Trojans trailed for just 30 seconds during the second period and later turned the tide on the Cardinal by outscoring Stanford 5-1 in the fourth frame to tally the key MPSF win, improving to 22-1 overall and 4-0 in MPSF play.
The win avenged USC’s only loss of the year and snapped a three-game skid against Stanford, including a loss to the Cardinal in last year’s NCAA championship game. The Trojans were on point in this one, their focus on revenge unbroken even by Stanford being granted a grand total of six 5-meter penalty shots in the game. Five of the Cardinal’s 12 goals in the game came on penalties, the fifth of which brought it to a one-goal margin at the end of the third period. Leading 12-11 entering the final eight minutes, USC kicked things into an even higher gear. With Tilly Kearns earning back-to-back power plays for her Trojans, USC maneuvered ahead 14-11 on fine finishes from Grace Tehaney and Bayley Weber. The hits kept coming for the Trojans, whose defense got stuck in while the offense kicked in three more — a ripping backhand from Mireia Guiral, a slam at the post from Weber and a savvy strike from Julia Janov to make it a 5-0 scoring rally for USC and a 17-11 lead with 1:34 to go.
The Trojans had opened the game similarly hot-handed, building an early 3-0 advantage on the Cardinal as Tehaney, Janov and Kearns struck on the offensive end while the USC defense stayed stingy. Stanford would pull even at 3-3 with help from two 5-meter penalty shots. The see-saw situation continued in the second period, and Stanford took its first — and only — lead with back-to-back goals to go up 5-4 with 3:04 on the clock. USC bit back and evened things on a Morgan Netherton rifle shot during a USC 6-on-5, and then a Guiral field block sparked a counterattack that saw Honnie Vandeweghe-O’Shea hit Hauschild for a blast that got USC on top 6-5. IN the final minute of the half, Stanford was set up with another 5-meter penalty shot, and it was all even at 6-6 for halftime.
The third period was a wild one as both offenses heated up. USC was tagged for six exclusions in that frame — including two penalties — but the Trojans were unshaken and stuck to their guns. Five different Trojans accounted for USC’s six goals in the third. Stanford had things even at 7-7 before Netherton and Weber went back-to-back for the Trojan cause to craft a 9-7 USC lead. USC’s Kearns had answers for Stanford’s next penalty score and 6-on-5 finish as the Aussie worked her way into a hat trick and had USC on top 11-9 with 3:47 on the clock. Stanford benefited from a 6-on-4 advantage next to get one back, only to see Guiral nab a steal soon after and Tehaney finish at the other end for a 12-10 lead. That was followed by Stanford’s fifth 5-meter penalty finish to get it to a one-goal game, setting up the Trojans fourth-period explosion that set their course to victory.
NEXT:
USC has two more home tilts on tap next week, starting with a Thursday (April 13) nonconference clash against LMU at 5 p.m. at Uytengsu Aquatics Center. On Saturday (April 15), USC will celebrate Senior Day ahead of an MPSF matchup against Arizona State at 1 p.m.
NOTABLE:
– USC’s 17 goals scored today was the most the Trojans have ever scored against Stanford.
– The USC-Stanford series record now stands at 43-41 all-time in USC’s favor (series began in 1996).
– With four goals today, Bayley Weber continues to lead the team in multiple-goal games, now with 18 this season.
– Weber also leads the team with goals in 21 games this season.
– Weber now ranks No. 9 all-time in scoring at USC, now with 204 career goals.
– With three goals today, Tilly Kearns cracked the all-time top-20 at USC, now ranked No. 20 with 138 career goals.
– Freshman Morgan Netherton tallied her second two-goal game of the season.
– Paige Hauschild had a game-high four assists.
#2 USC 17, #1 Stanford 12
April 18 2023 | Uytengsu Aquatics Center
USC 3 – 3 – 6 – 5 = 17
STAN 2 – 4 – 5 -1 = 12
SCORING:
USC — Bayley Weber 4, Grace Tehaney 3, Tilly Kearns 3, Julia Janov 2, Morgan Netherton 2, Paige Hauschild, Honnie Vandeweghe-O’Shea, Mireia Guiral.
STAN —Jenna Flynn 5, Jewel Roemer 3, Aria Fischer 2, Ryann Neushul 2.
SAVES: Carolyne Stern (USC) 9, Maya Avital (STAN) 8.
