University Southern California Trojans
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!
June 21, 1999 | Men's Water Polo
December 6, 1998
CORONA DEL MAR, Calif. - Finally, national champions.
The USC men's water polo team ended its long quest to earn a first-ever NCAA championship, as the top-ranked Trojans edged No. 2 Stanford, 9-8, in overtime at Corona del Mar High School on Sunday in front of 2,385.
Senior driver Marko Pintaric, who was named the Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the NCAAs, made the biggest shot in USC history, a two-pointer with 1:38 left in the second overtime period to erase a Stanford one-goal lead and give the Trojans a 9-8 edge.
From there, USC's defense tightened up and forced turnovers on Stanford's final two possessions, and the Trojans earned their first-ever crown. The Trojans also set a school record with their 25th victory of the season.
It was a sweet moment for the program, which had finished second in the nation four of the last five years and six times overall. Co-head coaches John Williams and Jovan Vavic were thrown into the pool and were joined by the rest of the team, who celebrated for a great length of time.
"You cannot believe how terrific it is to win the championship after so many years of trying," said Williams, who is in his 26th year as head coach. "This one's not just for this team, but for the entire Trojan water polo family that has been through this. We've come so close so often. I saw players from the '70s, '80s and '90s there tonight and this one's for all of them too."
USC and Stanford played five times in 1998, with the Trojans winning four of the contests. But all five were decided by two goals or less, and two games went into overtime.
The Trojans jumped out to a 3-0 lead midway through the second quarter behind goals by junior 2-meter man James Castle, sophomore driver George Csaszar and freshman 2-meter man Ivan Babic.
But Stanford rallied and tied the game, 4-4, heading into the fourth quarter.
The Trojans took leads of 5-4 and 6-5, both on goals by junior driver Allen Basso, but Stanford tied the game each time, including a goal with 1:13 left that evened the score at 6-6 and sent the game into overtime.
In the first of the two three-minute overtime periods, Csaszar scored his second goal on a 6-on-5 opportunity, firing it past the Stanford goalkeeper from the right side with 2:11 left. But the Cardinal quickly evened the game when David Hay pushed in another teammate's miss with 1:32 left.
The Cardinal took their first lead of the game with 2:13 to play in the second overtime. On a man- up opportunity, Sean Joy knocked in the go-ahead goal to make it 8-7.
The Trojans had lost the previous two NCAA championship games by 8-7 scores (1996 to UCLA and 1997 to Pepperdine), but this time it would turn out different.
With the shot clock winding down, Csaszar recovered an errant pass on the right baseline. Instead of shooting, he found a wide-open Pintaric, who was beyond the two-point line straightaway of the goal. Pintaric fired a missile past the Stanford goalkeeper to give USC the victory. It was Pintaric's 12th two-pointer of 1998, setting a new school single-season record.
"We lost the ball but George got it back," Pintaric said. "It was a crucial moment. Everyone was concentrating on George and he got it to me. I saw the goal well, and that's the most important thing. I practice those shots. You need to be able to shoot when you see the moment come."
Pintaric, Castle, Csaszar and Babic were named to the All-Tournament first team, while Babic was also named Co-Best Defensive Player. Basso, junior goalie Richard McEvoy and junior 2-meter man Peter Janov made the second team.
"Emotions are running pretty high right now," said McEvoy, who had nine saves. "Last year it was crushing to lose. This was what we had worked for all along. We were confident we would win."
STAN 0-2-2-2-1-1---8
USC 1-3-0-2-1-2---9
STAN Goals: Layne Beaubien 3, Andy Walburger 2, Sean Joy 2, Arturo Rodelo 1.
USC Goals: George Csaszar 2, Allen Basso 2, Marko Pintaric 1 (one 2-pointer), Ivan Babic 1, James Castle 1, Stever O'Rourke 1.
Saves: Chris Aguilera (STAN) 7, Richard McEvoy (USC) 9.
