USC
Stanford (Championship)
USC Claims Title With 10-6 Upset Of Stanford
February 28, 2010 | Women's Water Polo
Feb. 28, 2010
IRVINE, CALIF. - The No. 2 USC women's water polo team avenged its only previous loss of the season and captured a key tournament title along the way as the Women of Troy slammed No. 1 Stanford with a 10-6 win today in the championship game of the UC Irvine Invitational. In handing the Cardinal their first loss of the year, USC has now won nine straight games since taking a 10-7 loss to Stanford in the Stanford Invitational semifinals earlier this month. This afternoon in Irvine, the Trojans piled up an 8-2 lead by halftime en route to the big title win for USC, which now holds an 11-1 overall record.
The Trojans opened the game with their offensive firepower blazing, tacking up four goals in the first period to lead Stanford 4-2. In the second, it was defensive muscle that USC flexed with a shutout of the Cardinal to go along with another pile of four goals at the other end. The Trojans had Stanford in an 8-2 hole by halftime, and remained ahead by six entering the final period with a 9-3 advantage. The Cardinal would manage three goals in the fourth, but it wasn't near enough to close the gap as USC added one more for good measure to notch the 10-6 championship victory.
USC goalie Tumua Anae was a wall in the cage once again as the senior piled up 12 saves for the Trojan defense - her third straight game with double-digit saves. Meanwhile, five Women of Troy were peppering the Stanford goal with scores. Freshman Patricia Jancso led all with a hat trick, while Kristen Dronberger, Joelle Bekhazi and Kami Craig had two each and Forel Davies added one to round out the USC scoring numbers.
USC's next competition puts the Trojans up against Cal in an MPSF match on Saturday (March 6) at McDonald's Swim Stadium.
UC IRVINE INVITATIONAL
Championship Game
#2 USC 10, #1 Stanford 6
USC 4 - 4 - 1 - 1 = 10
STAN 2 - 0 - 1 - 3 = 6
SCORING:
USC - Patricia Jancso 3, Kristen Dronberger 2, Joelle Bekhazi 2, Kami Craig 2, Forel Davies.
STAN - Alyssa Lo 2, Kelly Eaton 2, Kelsey Holshouser, Annika Dries.
SAVES: Tumua Anae (USC) 12, Amber Oland (STAN) 4, Kate Baldoni (STAN) 5.
