USC
UCLA
USC Beats the Bruins 8-7 In Tourney Semi
February 22, 2009 | Women's Water Polo
Feb. 22, 2009
IRVINE, CALIF. - The top-ranked USC women's water polo team put an end to a 10-game losing streak against crosstown rival and defending NCAA champion UCLA with an 8-7 victory on Sunday in the semifinal of the UC Irvine Invitational. Now 10-0 on the season, USC will face Stanford for the tournament championship this afternoon at 5:15 p.m. at UC Irvine's Anteater Pool.
USC's last win over UCLA came in 2006, but the Bruins had claimed the past 10 victories over the Women of Troy. This time, the Trojans refused to let UCLA come out ahead. Playing for the right to move into the tournament title match, USC moved ahead 4-2 by halftime and shut out the Bruins in the third to hold a 5-2 lead entering the final period. UCLA managed to find an offensive spark in the last frame and pulled to within one, down 8-7 with about 20 seconds to go.
The crucial game would not wind down without added drama, however. UCLA had the final possession of the game and was up on a 6-on-5 advantage. Due to a timing problem, UCLA was granted another 20 seconds of possession after the initial conclusion of the match. The Bruins made an attempt to score a buzzer-beater to tie the game, but the shot by Kelly Easterday was ruled to have been a two-handed push and the goal was negated to end the match as it initially had concluded - an 8-7 USC victory.
Once again, USC's scoring attack was led by Michelle Stein with a hat trick. Joelle Bekhazi registered two goals for the Trojans, and Kami Craig, Kally Lucas and Alexandra Kiss also got in on the scoring while goalie Ilse van der Meijden tallied 10 saves in USC's defensive effort.
UC IRVINE INVITATIONAL - Semifinals (Feb. 22)
USC 8, UCLA 7
UCLA 1 - 1 - 0 - 5 = 7
USC 2 - 2 - 1 - 3 = 8
SCORING:
USC -- Michelle Stein 3, Joelle Bekhazi 2, Kami Craig, Kally Lucas, Alexandra Kiss.
UCLA -- Anne Belden 2, Camy Sullivan 2, Kelly Easterday, Kelsey McGinley, Sarah Orozco.
SAVES:
Ilse van der Meijden (USC) 10, Brittany Fullen (UCLA) 5.
