University Southern California Trojans
USC
So-Cal Tournament Championship
USC Wins So-Cal Tournament With Sudden-Victory Thriller Against Stanford
September 21, 2003 | Men's Water Polo
Sept. 21, 2003
LOS ANGELES -- The co-No. 1 USC Trojans won the 2003 So-Cal Tournament in thrilling fashion Sunday as Gadi Hadar scored 1:57 into sudden-victory overtime for the 10-9 win against co-No. 1 Stanford at UC Irvine. The Trojans are a perfect 6-0 to start the season and will continue Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play next weekend at California and Pacific.
Sophomore Juraj Zatovic scored 11 goals in four matches to lead the Trojans, including the game-winning goals in both matches on Sunday.
Game #21:Stanford (4-1) 2 1 1 3 0 2 0 9USC (6-0) 2 1 2 2 2 0 1 10
Stan: Greg Crum 3, Peter Varellas 2, Thomas Hopkins 2, Tony Azevedo, Mike Derse. USC: Gadi Hadar 4, Juraj Zatovic 3, James Shin 2, Predrag Damjanov. Saves: Chad Taylor (Stan) 9; Bozidar Damjanovic (USC) 8.
Senior Gadi Hadar scored the game-winning, power-play goal 1:57 into sudden-victory overtime lifting USC to a 10-9 win over Stanford in the championship contest of the Southern California Tournament. The game featured a matchup of the two teams tied for the nation's top spot in the latest coaches' poll. Stanford's Peter Varellas sent the game into overtime on a goal with 1:40 remaining in regulation to tie the score at 7-7. USC took a 9-7 lead after the first three-minute extra period on goals by Juraj Zatovic and Hadar. Stanford countered with goals in the second three-minute session as Greg Crum and Mike Derse connected to set the stage for Hadar's heroics in sudden victory.
