Courtesy: USC Athletics
| Box Score 2 LA JOLLA, CALIF. — The No. 3 USC women’s water polo team served up two strong wins on day two of action at the Triton Invitational to score a spot in tomorrow’s championship game. The Trojans took down No. 21 UC Davis 17-9 to top off bracket play and then controlled No. 5 Hawai’i to the tune of another 17-9 decision anchored by a career-high 13 saves from Jada Ward in the semifinals today in La Jolla, Calif. USC is now 7-0 overall and will square off against rival UCLA tomorrow (Feb. 2) at 1:30 p.m. to play for the tournament title.
It was a tight one out of the gates with the Aggies, who tied it up four times in the first frame as it was knotted 4-4 after eight minutes of action. After a 5-5 draw in the second, USC manufactured a four-goal rally sparked by a 6-on-5 finish from Emily Ausmus. Ava Stryker, Rachel Gazzaniga and Tilly Kearns each struck next for the Trojan cause to craft a 9-5 advantage. UC Davis broke that up, only to see Ausmus and Gazzaniga hit next for USC. The Aggies scored a 5-meter penalty just before the close of the half, and it was an 11-7 USC lead at the break. Stryker served up three straight scores in the third to establish USC’s control with a 14-7 lead, and Meghan McAninch followed a UCD power play finish with back-to-back goals to make it 16-8 entering the fourth. Tilly Kearns had USC’s last word in the fourth, and the Trojans pinned up a 17-9 victory to take their place in the evening’s semifinal.
USC was all business in its semifinal meeting with Hawai’i, jumping out to a 5-0 with goals from five different Trojans. Ava Stryker’s second of the game answered the Rainbow Wahine’s first, and it was 6-1 Trojans at the close of the first. USC pinned up three straight goals to open the second, and while goalie Jada Ward made stops on the defensive end, USC kept striking on the attack and got out to a nine-goal advantage after goals from Rachel Gazzaniga and Maggie Johnson before halftime. The teams matched each other goal for goal in the third, with Isabel Zimmerman and Ava Knepper joining the Trojan scoresheet as USC led it 15-6 entering the final frame. USC’s depth continued to show in the fourth. Morgan Netherton and Alma Yaacobi punched up their first goals of the game, and USC was up 17-7 with 5:27 left to play. Hawai’i hit on two last goals before action came to a close, and USC had a 17-9 win and ticket to the title match in hand.
NEXT:
USC now sets up for a championship bout against top-ranked crosstown rival UCLA tomorrow (Feb. 2). The Trojans square off against the Bruins at 1:30 p.m. to tangle for the Triton Invitational title.
NOTABLE:
– JR Jada Ward set a new career high with 13 saves vs. Hawai’i.
– With five goals vs. UC Davis, SO Ava Stryker tied her career high.
– With their goals in both games today, Stryker, SR Tilly Kearns, FR Emily Ausmus and SO Rachel Gazzaniga have all scored in every game for USC this season.
– With three goals vs. UC Davis and two vs. Hawai’i, Ausmus also has now registered multiple-goal efforts in all seven USC games this season.
TRITON INVITATIONAL
BRACKET PLAY
#3 USC 17, #21 UC Davis 9
Saturday, Feb. 1 | Triton Pool (La Jolla, Calif.)
USC 4 – 7 – 5 – 1 = 17
UCD 4 – 3 – 1 – 1 = 9
SCORING:
USC — Ava Stryker 5, Tilly Kearns 4, Emily Ausmus 3, Rachel Gazzaniga 2, Meghan McAninch 2, Emma Lawson.
UCD — Henry 3, Daly 2, Sumner, Yoo, Vehling, Massman.
SAVES: Jada Ward (USC) 7, UC Davis n/a.
SEMIFINAL
#3 USC 17, #5 Hawai’i 9
Saturday, Feb. 1 | Triton Pool (La Jolla, Calif.)
USC 6 – 7 – 2 – 2 = 17
UH 1 – 3 – 2 – 3 = 9
SCORING:
USC — Meghan McAninch 3, Maggie Johnson 2, Ava Stryker 2, Emily Ausmus 2, Sinia Plotz, Tilly Kearns, Sofia Umeda, Rachel Gazzaniga, Isabel Zimmerman, Ava Knepper, Morgan Netherton, Alma Yaacobi.
UH — B. Doyle 4, Perlman, Vernoux, Wedderburn, Radosavljevic, G. Doyle,
SAVES: Jada Ward (USC) 13, Daisy Logtens (UH) 7.
