University Southern California Trojans
Men's Water Polo Looks to Clinch MPSF Crown
June 21, 1999 | Men's Water Polo
November 10, 1998
LOS ANGELES - The USC men's water polo team (19-1 overall, 6-0 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) can clinch the regular-season MPSF title this weekend as the Trojans host crosstown rival UCLA (15-3, 6-1) on Sunday (Nov. 15) at noon at the McDonald's Swim Stadium.
RANKINGS - USC was ranked No. 1 in the Nov. 2 American Water Polo Coaches Association Top 20 Poll. UCLA was No. 2.
OPPONENT - UCLA (15-3, 6-1) has won three in a row and is led by sophomore 2-meter man Sean Kern's 43 points. The Trojans and Bruins have met one time previously this season, an 11-7 USC victory in the championship of the So-Cal Tournament. The two teams meet again the following Saturday (Nov. 21) in the final regular-season match.
LAST WEEK - The Trojans went up to the Bay Area and swept California and Stanford for the first time since 1972. On Saturday (Nov. 7), the Trojans outscored the Cardinal, 15-13, as Marko Pintaric scored four points. The next day, USC edged the Golden Bears, 9-8, in overtime. Peter Janov scored the game-winner with a minute left. Janov was named the MPSF Co-Player of the Week.
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 35 goals and 43 points (tied for fifth in the MPSF). He had a 19-game scoring streak to open the season before being held scoreless at California last weekend. 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 this year. He has 141 saves (an average of 8.3 a game, good for fourth in the MPSF) and is allowing 6.5 points a game (third in the MPSF). 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 42 goals and 48 points (tied for 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 28 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 27 points in 1998. He made the All-Southern California Tournament second team and was named MPSF Co-Player of the Week on Nov. 9. Babic, who is from Yugoslavia, has scored 29 points.
