USC
Pepperdine
No. 1 USC Swamps No. 5 Pepperdine 14-5
October 26, 2008 | Men's Water Polo
Oct. 26, 2008
MALIBU, CALIF. -- The top-ranked USC men's water polo team cruised to a powerful 14-5 win over host No. 5 Pepperdine on Sunday afternoon, handing the Waves their first MPSF loss while the Trojans ballooned its undefeated run through 2008 action with their 19th straight win. Now 19-0 overall and 4-0 in MPSF play, USC has its next match set as a clash with crosstown rival UCLA. The Trojans host the Bruins at 1 p.m. on Saturday (Nov. 1).
On Sunday against Pepperdine, the USC defense anchored the Trojans to victory. The Waves had an answer for Justin Rappel's goal that started the Trojans off, but USC would score two more in the first half and then stretch that scoring blitz to seven straight before the Waves got their second strike to go before the halftime buzzer.
Leading 8-2 entering the second half, USC flexed its defensive muscle again early, as Trojan goalie Joel Dennerley put a stop to a Pepperdine 5-meter penalty shot. Goals from Matt Sagehorn and Anthony Artukovich followed for the Trojans to put USC solidly on a path to snapped Pepperdine's four-goal win streak.
Junior Matt Sagehorn led all scorers with four goals on the day, with fellow juniors J.W. Krumpholz and Justin Rappel adding a pair apiece for the Trojans. Dennerley wound up with nine saves in the cage for USC in the 14-5 final.
USC next takes its undefeated record back to its home pool, where the Trojans have won 30 straight games. USC hosts UCLA at 1 p.m. on Saturday (Nov. 1) in an MPSF matchup at McDonald's Swim Stadium.
#1 USC 14, #5 Pepperdine 5
USC 3 - 5 - 4 - 2 -- 14
PEP 1 - 1 - 1 - 2 -- 5
SCORING:
USC -- Matt Sagehorn 4, J.W. Krumpholz 2, Justin Rappel 2, Peter Kurzeka, Jovan Vranes, Shea Buckner, Jordan Thompson, Arjan Lightenberg, Anthony Artukovich.
PEP -- Grant Miller 2, J.P. MacDonell, Matt Digges, Andrew Milcovich.
SAVES: Joel Dennerley (USC) 9, John Hahn (PEP) 5, Jack Curley (PEP) 1,
Players Mentioned
