University Southern California Trojans
June 21, 1999 | Men's Water Polo
October 6, 1998
LOS ANGELES - The USC men's water polo team (9-0 overall, 2-0 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation), perhaps off to the best start in school history, will try and keep its perfect record intact as it hosts California (5-2, 1-1) in an MPSF match on Saturday (Oct. 10) at 1 p.m. at the McDonald's Swim Stadium. Records only go back to 1979, and USC's best start in that time was 8-0-1 in 1983. The water polo game is 2 1/2 hours prior to the USC-California football game at 3:30 p.m.
RANKINGS - USC was ranked No. 1 in the Sept. 30 American Water Polo Coaches Association Top 20 Poll, while California was ranked No. 4.
LAST WEEK - USC blasted No. 9 Pacific, 15-6, in an MPSF match on Saturday (Oct. 3), then held on to beat No. 6 UC Irvine, 7-6, in a non-conference match on Sunday (Oct. 4). George Csaszar and Marko Pintaric each had four points in the win over the Tigers and Darin Smith made 11 saves. Against the Anteaters, Richard McEvoy made three saves on point-blank shots in the final 2 1/2 minutes (and had 11 saves overall) and James Castle's goal broke a 6-6 tie with 3:46 left in the game.
OPPONENTS - California (5-2, 1-1) is led by senior 2-meter man Ryan Flynn's 23 points, which is more than twice as many as any teammate. The Trojans defeated the Bears, 11-6, in the semifinals of the So-Cal Tournament earlier this year. Cal holds a 43-21-2 lead in the series since 1979.
JOHN WILLIAMS & JOVAN VAVIC - Co-head coaches John Williams and Jovan Vavic have Troy competing for a national championship year in and year out (USC has placed second in four of the last five years). Williams, a former USC All-American, entered his 26th year as head coach of the Trojans with a record of 424-250-7 (.628). Vavic was promoted to co-head coach prior to 1995, and in the last three seasons, USC went 64-15 (.810).
MARKO PINTARIC - Senior driver Marko Pintaric is again playing at the level that saw him lead USC in scoring in 1997 and earn All-American second team honors. He is currently second on the team with 16 goals and 19 points (tied for fifth in the MPSF). A native of Croatia, Pintaric made the All-Southern California Tournament first team for the second straight year. He was named MPSF Player of the Week on Oct. 5 after scoring a total of six points against Pacific and UC Irvine.
RICHARD McEVOY - After earning 1997 All-American third team honors in his first year as a starter, junior goalie Richard McEvoy (Pembroke Pines, FL/Cooper City HS) could be the nation's best at his position. He has 59 saves in seven games. McEvoy made the All-Southern California Tournament first team.
GEORGE CSASZAR - In what had to have been the greatest debut in USC history, sophomore driver George Csaszar scored seven goals and eight points against Long Beach State in the 1998 season opener. A native of Hungary who has an excellent shot, Csaszar leads the Trojans with 21 goals and 25 points (second in the MPSF). After scoring 15 points in the first six games, he was named MPSF Player of the Week on Sept. 20. He also made the All-Southern California Tournament second team.
JAMES CASTLE - A former starter on the U.S. Junior National Team and a 1997 All-American third teamer, junior 2-meter man James Castle (Hacienda Heights/Wilson HS) is again one of USC's standouts in 1998. He has 12 goals thus far. He made the All-Southern California Tournament second team.
NEWCOMERS - In addition to Csaszar, USC has been helped by the arrival of junior 2-meter man Peter Janov and freshman 2-meter man Ivan Babic. Janov, who came from Slovakia via Golden West College, has scored 12 points in 1998. He made the All-Southern California Tournament second team. Babic, who is from Yugoslavia, has scored 10 points.
