Courtesy: USC Athletics
LA JOLLA, CALIF. — The No. 3 USC women’s water polo team made its winning move in the third period of play and stayed in the driver’s seat en route to a 14-11 win over top-ranked rival UCLA to win the Triton Invitational championship today in La Jolla. One of nine Trojans to score today, Rachel Gazzaniga tallied three straight goals in the second half to set USC’s course to the tourney title in beating the Bruins. USC is now 8-0 overall on the year.
Eight Trojans accounted for USC’s first eight goals of the game in a tight opening stretch of today’s rivalry battle. UCLA got out to a 3-1 lead during the first, but USC closed the gap and forced ties at 3-3 and 4-4 in the second. Emma Lawson finished off a pass from Tilly Kearns to snarl the game at 4-4, and then Ava Stryker hit fellow sophomore Rachel Gazzaniga for a go-ahead goal for USC. UCLA equalized again before halftime in converting a 7-on-6 opportunity, and it was 5-5 for halftime.
USC’s balanced attack continued in the third. Ava Knepper and Morgan Netherton each answered Bruin scores to knot it up twice more, and then Alma Yaacobi became the eighth Trojan to score with a turn and fire out of set to make it 8-7 Trojans. Gazzaniga exploded for back-to-back USC goals next, and the Trojans gripped a 10-7 lead late in the third. UCLA broke up that rally before the buzzer, though, and it was a 10-8 margin entering the fourth. Gazzaniga’s hot hand stayed toasty as she rifled in her fourth of the day to open the final frame to make it 11-8. UCLA answered with two goal to close the gap to one, only to see Kearns let loose a lob soon after. Again UCLA got one back, finishing off another 7-on-6 setup to make it 12-11, but the Trojans answered the call and added to it. Emily Ausmus scored off the drive next and then the USC defense squashed UCLA’s next look. Ava Stryker let fly a bar-in blast at the buzzer, and it was a 14-11 USC championship victory.
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:
– This was USC’s second Triton Invitational tile in the last three years, having beating UCLA in the 2023 final and finishing fourth last year.
– With four goals today, SO Rachel Gazzaniga tied her career high.
– With their goals today, Gazzaniga, SO Ava Stryker, SR Tilly Kearns and FR Emily Ausmus have all scored in every game for USC this season.
– With two goals today, Ausmus also has now registered multiple-goal efforts in all seven USC games this season.
TRITON INVITATIONAL
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
#3 USC 14, #1 UCLA 11
Sunday, Feb. 2 | Triton Pool (La Jolla, Calif.)
USC 2 – 3 – 5 – 4 = 14
UCLA 3 – 2 – 3 – 3 = 11
SCORING:
USC — Rachel Gazzaniga 4, Emily Ausmus 2, Ava Stryker 2, Maggie Johnson, Emma Lawson, Ava Knepper, Morgan Netherton, Alma Yaacobi, Tilly Kearns.
UCLA — Melanson 2, Lineback 2, Renner 2, Smith, Steele, Pearson, Stryker, Mantellato.
SAVES: Jada Ward (USC) 7, Steele (UCLA) 12.
