University Southern California Trojans
USC
Cal (UCI Invitational - 3rd Place)
No. 3 USC Takes Third At UC Irvine Invitational
February 25, 2007 | Women's Water Polo
Feb. 25, 2007
IRVINE, CALIF. -- The No. 3 USC women's water polo team finished third at the competitive UC Irvine Invitational, notching a 15-9 win over No. 4 California in the third-place game on Sunday in Irvine, Calif. The Trojans had been edged out 10-8 in the semifinal by No. 2 Stanford -- which went on to win the tournament with an 8-4 victory over UCLA. USC now holds a 9-3 overall record on the year.
Against Stanford in the semifinals, the teams played close through the first half, with USC tying it up 5-5 by halftime. Stanford took a slight edge in the third, however, pulling ahead 8-7. Although the last USC-Stanford face-off was shoved into overtime, the Cardinal held off a comeback attempt by the Women of Troy this time, pushing to a 10-8 win behind a four-goal game by Jessica Steffens. USC got a pair of goals by seniors Erika Figge and Brittany Hayes to lead the Trojan charge of six different scorers.
Sparked by that loss, USC had nine different players get in on the action in the third-place game against California. This time, it was a big second-half push that put some serious separation between the Trojans and the Bears. USC held a 3-1 lead in the first period, but the teams matched each other goal-for-goal in the second with four goals apiece as USC led 7-5 at halftime. The Trojans' hot scoring streak stayed strong, with four more goals in each of the next periods. After a strong third quarter, USC was up 11-6 and held momentum thorugh the final frame. Goalie Whitney Morgan notched eight saves for the Women of Troy in the game to help USC ensure victory. Patty Cardenas was USC's leading scorer in the game with a hat trick, while four other Trojans got to the back of the net twice in the game. Freshman Forel Davies recorded her first multiple-goal game at Troy, with Erika Figge, Alexanda Kiss and Brittany Hayes also adding a pair apiece.
USC next turns to face UC Irvine in the Trojans' first home game of the year at noon on Saturday (March 3). That MPSF contest will be followed by a scrimmage against the U.S. National Team, which includes several former and current Women of Troy.
SUNDAY'S UC IRVINE INVITATIONAL RESULTS
SEMIFINAL
No. 2 Stanford 10, No. 3 USC 8
STAN 3 - 2 - 3 - 2 -- 10
USC 2 - 3 - 2 - 1 -- 8
SCORING:
STAN -- Jessica Steffens 4, Lauren Silver 2, Alison Gregorka 2, Kira Hillman, Katie Hansen.
USC -- Erika Figge 2, Brittany Hayes 2, Kami Craig, Miranda Nichols, Forel Davies, Michelle Stein.
SAVES: Merideth McColl (STAN) 14, Whitney Morgan (USC) 4.
THIRD-PLACE GAME
No. 3 USC 15, No. 4 California 9
CAL 1 - 4 - 1 - 3 -- 9
USC 3 - 4 - 4 - 4 -- 15
SCORING:
CAL -- Elsie Windes 2, Julia Oreglia 2, Molly Hayes, Meghan Corso, Paige Lorenz, Darby Anderson, Grace Reynolds.
USC -- Patty Cardenas 3, Forel Davies 2, Erika Figge 2, Alexandra Kiss 2, Brittany Hayes 2, Veronika Bartunkova, Michelle Stein, Kami Craig, Kally Lucas.
SAVES: Heather Stuart (Cal) 6, Whitney Morgan (USC) 8.
