University Southern California Trojans
No. 1 Men's Water Polo Closes Out Regular Season
June 21, 1999 | Men's Water Polo
November 17, 1998
LOS ANGELES -- The USC men's water polo team (20-1 overall, 7-0 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation), after clinching the top seed for the MPSF Championships and at least a tie for the conference title, closes out the regular season with two games this week. Tonight (Nov. 17), the Trojans visit Long Beach State at Belmont Plaza at 7 p.m. in an MPSF match. A win would give the Trojans the regular-season title outright. Then, USC visits the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center to take on UCLA in a non-conference match on Saturday (Nov. 21) at 10 a.m. (2 1/2 hours before the football game).
RANKINGS USC was ranked No. 1 in the Nov. 10 American Water Polo Coaches Association Top 20 Poll. UCLA was No. 2 and Long Beach State was No. 8.
OPPONENTS Long Beach State (10-12, 1-5) is led by senior 2-meter man Jeff Colyer's 39 points. The Trojans and 49ers have met once earlier this season, a 12-6 USC win to open the season ... The Trojans have beaten UCLA (15-4, 6-2) six straight times, including last weekend's 9-6 win. The Bruins are led by sophomore 2-meter man Sean Kern's 46 points.
LAST WEEK Peter Janov scored four goals and Richard McEvoy made 11 saves as USC clinched at least a tie for the MPSF regular-season title with a 9-6 win over No. 2 UCLA at the McDonald's Swim Stadium on Saturday. USC never trailed, taking a 3-0 lead and then a 5-3 lead at halftime. McEvoy earned MPSF Player of the Week honors.
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 36 goals and 45 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 152 saves (an average of 8.4 a game, good for fourth in the MPSF) and is allowing 6.5 points a game (fourth in the MPSF). McEvoy made the All-Southern California Tournament first team and was named MPSF Player of the Week on Nov. 16.
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 (third 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 29 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 31 points in 1998. He has 14 points in the last five games. 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.
