No. 1 USC Swamps No. 5 Pepperdine 10-4

Saturday, September 22

McDonald's Swim Stadium

2:30 PM

USC

*Pepperdine

Drew Vyn had a hat trick for USC on Saturday.

No. 1 USC Swamps No. 5 Pepperdine 10-4

September 22, 2007 | Men's Water Polo

Sept. 22, 2007

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. - The top-ranked USC men's water polo team answered a tight first half with No. 5 Pepperdine with an offensive explosion, as seven different players accounted for all seven first-half goals as the Trojans topped the Waves 10-4 in their MPSF opener. The win pushed USC's home win streak to 24 straight, and was highlighted by a hat trick from Drew Vyn as well as the first goals of the season for Trevor Clark and Ryan Cummins. USC improves its undefeated overall record to 6-0, and opens MPSF play 1-0.

Vyn was an all-out offensive force for USC, as he notched his fourth career hat trick in the game. The senior lefty got the Trojans an early lead with a quick strike in the first period. Pepperdine answered, however, with Grant Miller's first of three goals in the game. Nico Sardo got USC ahead next, only to have the Waves' JP MacDonell lock it up again with a 6-on-5 score in the final minute of the period. Vyn would deliver the go-ahead score once more, however, lacing a perfect crosscage lob into the corner of the cage for a 3-2 USC lead with 20 second left in the frame.

The Trojans mis-fired in the second period, failing to get on the board as Pepperdine pinned up another Miller goal to make it 3-3 going into halftime. That's when USC kicked things into gear and starting its scoring splurge with a widespread attack in the second half. Shea Buckner opened things up with a smooth lob at 5:52, giving USC a lead it would never relinquish. A minute later, Sardo connected with Arjan Ligtenberg with a nearside strike from the right post for a 5-3 USC lead. Pepperdine would close in once more on Miller's third goal of the game to make it 5-4, but that was all the Waves would get. The next six goals were all Trojans, with Vyn delivering a slick skip shot for a 6-4 lead just before the close of the third period.

USC's depth charge rang loud in the fourth. With Adam Shilling notching three more of his nine saves and the USC defense shutting down the Waves offense, the Trojans went on to get to the back of the cage four more times. Vyn earned an ejection early in the fourth, then dished an assist to Matt Saghorn, who buried his shot from the top to make it 7-4. USC shut down the next two Pepperdine 6-on-5 chances, and then Gabor Sarusi ripped in a skipper that rattled the back of the cage as USC went ahead 8-4. Putting the finishing touches on the USC win were two Trojans who tallied their first goals of the season. First was senior Trevor Clark, who was back in the water after two seasons of injuries. Clark blazed in a 6-on-5 score for USC for his 38th career goal and first of the year. Next up was redshirt sophomore Ryan Cummins, who notched his first career goal with a long-range strike with six ticks to go, topping off the Trojan win at 10-4.

USC returns to MPSF action next week with a matchup against Long Beach State at 12 p.m. on Saturday (Sept. 29) at McDonald's Swim Stadium.

#1 USC 10, #5 Pepperdine 4
PEP 2 - 1 - 1 - 0 -- 4
USC 3 - 0 - 3 - 4 -- 10

SCORING:
USC - Drew Vyn 3, Nico Sardo, Shea Buckner, Arjan Ligtenberg, Matt Sagehorn, Gabor Sarusi, Trevor Clark, Ryan Cummins.
PEP - Grant Miller 3, J.P. MacDonell.

SAVES: Adam Shilling (USC) 9, Will Cherashore (USC) 1, Travis Stachowski (PEP) 10.

GOALS:FIRST PERIOD6:27    Drew Vyn (USC)        1-03:33    Grant Miller (PEP)      1-11:51    Nico Sardo (USC)        2-10:39    JP MacDonell (PEP)      2-20:20    Vyn (USC)           3-2SECOND PERIOD1:38    Miller (PEP)            3-3THIRD PERIOD5:52    Shea Buckner (USC)        4-34:58    Arjan Ligtenberg (USC)    5-32:54    Miller (PEP)            5-40:08    Vyn (USC)           6-4FOURTH PERIOD7:22    Matt Sagehorn (USC)      7-43:03    Gabor Sarusi (USC)        8-42:31    Trevor Clark (USC)        9-40:06    Ryan Cummins (USC)    10-4