University Southern California Trojans
USC Aims To Defend NorCal Title This Weekend
September 12, 2007 | Men's Water Polo
Sept. 12, 2007
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THIS WEEK: With their first nonconference clash out of the way, the top-ranked Trojans now turn to the early-season elite showdown of the NorCal Tournament. As a member of the A Bracket for this year's 2007 action, USC opens defense of its back-to-back tourney titles with an 8 a.m. match against UC Santa Cruz on Saturday (Sept. 14) at Miramonte High School in Orinda, Calif. Joining the Trojans in group A are UC San Diego and Long Beach State. Two wins on Saturday would put the Trojans into the semifinals at Cal's Spieker Pool in Berkeley on Sunday. The first semi is set for 10:40 a.m., with the championship match scheduled for 5:20 p.m.
RANKINGS: The Trojans reign supreme as the nation's top-ranked squad for the second straight week as the 2007 season gets underway.
NORCAL NOTES: The Northern California Tournament has traditionally offered one of the best early looks at the nation's top teams. This year proves to be the same, with No. 2 Cal set up to host the 2007 action. In addition to two-time defending champ USC, all nine Mountain Pacific Sports Federation teams will be included, along with competitive teams from around the country. In total, the top 11 teams in the nation are lined up to compete, with 14 of the 16 teams ranked in the nation's top-20. Out-of-state powers No. 17 Air Force and No. 10 Navy are making the trip to Berkeley, along with No. 11 LMU, No. 14 UC San Diego, No. 8 UC Davis, Santa Clara and UC Santa Cruz. USC has won its past nine NorCal Tournament games, dating back to a third-place win over Cal in the 2004 tourney. Most recently, the Trojans claimed back-to-back tournament titles with a 10-7 victory over Cal in the 2006 final. USC had opened that tourney with a 22-4 win over Santa Clara, then beat LMU 13-1 and UCLA 7-6 in the semifinals. That win marked the fifth of six straight tournament wins for the Trojans, who claimed the 2005 and 2006 NorCal and SoCal tournament titles, as well as the 2005 MPSF and NCAA championships.
LAST WEEK: The Trojans opened 2007 by extending their home winning streak to 23 straight with a 9-4 victory over LMU last week. In his first season in the water as a Trojan, Shea Buckner delivered the first two goals of the game for USC, putting him well on his way to a career-high four goals. Justin Rappel added a pair to help lead the Trojans, who gave up just one goal in each period while going on a four-goal run across the second and third periods to put some space in between them and the Lions. In addition to Buckner's first career USC goals, redshirt freshman Garrett Hayes also tallied his first goal as a Trojan, and sophomore goalie Will Cherashore capped up in goal for the first time, slamming away a close-range shot for a big save in the fourth period. Starting goalie Adam Shilling had eight saves in the win.
SHEA'S DAY: His USC career may just be beginning, but sophomore transfer Shea Buckner made his opener as a Trojan a career day, punching in four goals in a win over LMU. As a freshman at Cal, Buckner hit the four-goal mark twice before opting to transfer to USC after that season. Now at Troy, Buckner represents one of the top two-meter men in the game, also standing out as a member of the U.S. Senior National Team.
DIVING RIGHT IN: Only one true freshman is capped up for action this season -- a testament to the experienced depth on the Trojan roster this year. That standout fresh face is Devon Borisoff, a U.S. Youth National teamer who boasts such strong all-around talent that coach Jovan Vavic has entrusted him to plenty of playing time. Watch for Borisoff's dominating defensive skills and speed on the counterattack.
FAMILIAR FACES: There are a few faces lined up on the Trojan bench that fans haven't seen in action for a while; but all three have NCAA title-winning experience Injuries have kept Joe Cosentino and Trevor Clark out of the pool for a season or two, respectively, but both are working on a comeback this year. After winning a national championship in 2005, a shoulder injury and heart surgery took him out of the lineup through 2006. Cosentino got back in the water against LMU on Sept. 8. Owner of the 2003 NCAA title-winning goal, Clark is still battling injuries, but is hopeful of a chance to heal up and see some action in his senior season.
BACK FOR MORE: A year ago, eight USC newcomers were making their Trojan debuts. Those fresh faces saw a lot in their first year, helping push USC into the NCAA final. Now well-seasoned returners, those Trojans add their experienced talent to the 2007 charge. Plan on seeing plenty of dominant depth in the form of Trojans in their second year of action - Anthony Artukovich, J.W. Krumpholz, Justin Rappel, Matt Sagehorn, Nico Sardo, Gabor Sarusi, Jordan Thompson and Drew Vyn. Add to that the anticipated activation of Cal transfer Shea Buckner and the return of Trevor Clark, and the Trojans are geared up for a serious depth charge.
INTERNATIONAL WATERS: Six Trojans expanded their roles in the international water polo scene over the summer, spending the bulk of their time training and competitng with the U.S. Junior National Team at tournaments in Europe and at the 2007 FINA Junior World Championships, where Team USA took sixth place. Anthony Artukovich, J.W. Krumpholz, Arjan Ligtenberg, Justin Rappel, Matt Sagehorn and Nico Sardo all were key members of the U.S. junior team. Krumpholz and Ligtenberg are also lined up alongside fellow Trojan Shea Buckner for double duty as members of the training roster for the U.S. Senior National Team.
SENIOR STRENGTH: Two-time All-Americans Tommy Corcoran and Adam Shilling are two of five seniors on the roster, joined by two 2006 transfers who made immediate impacts -- left-handed driver Drew Vyn and two-meter Gabor Sarusi -- and returning star Trevor Clark. Clark served up the game-winning goal for the Trojans in their 2003 NCAA championship as a freshman, and after two injury-plagued seasons is working his way back in the pool for his senior season.
WELL-CENTERED: Trevor Clark is one member of USC's ferociously deep staff of two-meter men along with fellow senior Tommy Corcoran. Back in the center slot as well are U.S. Senior National teamers J.W. Krumpholz, Shea Buckner and Arjan Ligtenberg. That highly skilled group is bulked up by several more versatile centers with the ability to provide both offensive surges and defensive strongholds at set, namely Gabor Sarusi, Jovan Vranes, Jordan Thompson and freshman U.S. Youth National Team player Devon Borisoff.
NEVER BETTER: USC's 23-0 sweep through the 2006 regular season marked the first time since men's water polo became an NCAA sport in 1969 that the Trojans have gone undefeated in the regular season. USC went 5-0 in 1944 -- long before the NCAA recognized the sport. No NCAA team has posted an undefeated overall record since California went 31-0 in 1992.
HOME POOL DOMINATION: The home waters of McDonald's Swim Stadium have provided smooth sailing for USC for the past two seasons now. The Trojans finished off 2005 with a perfect 9-0 record at home, and they went 13-0 at home in 2006. With a season-opening win over LMU, USC now holds a 23-game win streak in its home pool.
2006 RECAP: The Trojans made their second straight trip to the NCAA championship game, having ridden an undefeated regular season into the MPSF Tournament. USC was upended by Cal in the MPSF final, and was edged out in the final second of the NCAA championship game by the Bears, finishing 2006 with a 26-2 overall record.
