USC
UCLA (MPSF Third-Place Game)
No. 1 USC Takes Fourth In MPSF Tournament
April 30, 2006 | Women's Water Polo
April 30, 2006
IRVINE, CALIF. - The momentum that the top-ranked USC women's water polo team had built with a 25-game winning streak during the regular season hit a road block at the MPSF Tournament, as the Women of Troy fell 10-7 to No. 2 UCLA in the third-place game. The Trojans still boast the strongest record in the country with a 25-2 overall mark and retain their solid hold on a bid into the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
Against the Bruins, USC held an early lead with a 3-1 edge in the first period, but that advantage disintegrated into a tie by halftime. In the third period, UCLA streaked ahead to a lead that proved too great for the Trojans to pull out of. The Bruins outscored USC 4-1 in the third behind a pair of goals from Molly Cahill and two successful 6-on-5 strikes by the Bruins. UCLA's 4-0 run was a resounding answer to Lauren Wenger's opening bar-in goal that had given USC a 5-4 lead to open the first half. That would be the Trojans' last lead of the game, as they were in an 8-5 hole entering the final period.
In a break from the two slow starts they had in their first two tournament games, the Women of Troy scored first on a 6-on-4 goal from Patty Cardenas and then made it 2-0 USC with a swift attack where Erika Figge got the ball to Brittany Hayes, who found Moriah Van Norman for a score from two meters out. UCLA made it 2-1 on a 6-on-5 score by Thalia Munro - her first of two goals for the Bruins. UCLA goalie Emily Feher put a stop to a 4-meter penalty shot attempt by Hayes with a tip that pushed the ball off the crossbar. Anna Pardo then whipped in a long-range score for USC to get the Trojans up 3-1 with 11 seconds to go in the first period.
UCLA's offense sparked in the second, however, with USC only able to convert on another 6-on-5 strike from Cardenas while the Bruins punched in three scores to tie it up for halftime. USC's only score of the third frame was Wenger's bar-down strike. In the final period, Cardenas put away her third goal of the game with a 4-meter penalty shot that made it 8-6, but back-to-back goals from UCLA built a 10-6 lead for the Bruins with 1:45 left to play. Van Norman knocked in her second goal on a sharp assist from Figge, but that was all the Trojans would get the rest of the way in a 10-7 defeat.
At the close of the tournament, seniors Moriah Van Norman and Lauren Wenger both were named to the MPSF All-Tournament Team for their performances in the tourney. USC now awaits seedings for the upcoming NCAA Tournament. The selections for the eight-team tournament will be made on Monday (May 1).
UCLA 1 - 3 - 4 - 2 - 10
USC 3 - 1 - 1 - 2 - 7
SCORING:
USC - Patty Cardenas 3, Moriah Van Norman 2, Anna Pardo, Lauren Wenger.
UCLA - Thalia Munro 2, Kelly Rulon 2, Molly Cahill 2, Kacy Kunkel, Tanya Gandy, Courtney Mathewson.
SAVES: Whitney Morgan (USC) 6, Emily Feher (UCLA) 7.
6-on-5 ADVANTAGES:
USC - 4 of 12, 1 for 2 penalty shots
UCLA - 4 of 7
2006 MPSF MIKASA ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
MVP: Iefke Van Belkum, Soph., Utility, Hawaii
Meike De Nooy, Jr., Goalie, Hawaii
Kelly Mason, Fr., Utility, Hawaii
Kelly Rulon, Jr., Driver, UCLA
Moriah Van Norman, Sr., 2-Meter, USC
Rowie Webster, Fr., All-Around, Arizona State
Lauren Wenger, Sr., 2-Meter Def., USC
