University Southern California Trojans
No. 2 USC Has Home Opener Set For Saturday
February 09, 2011 | Women's Water Polo
Feb. 9, 2011
Complete Release in PDF Format
THIS WEEK
The No. 2 USC women's water polo team has its home opener on this week's agenda, with the Trojans (3-1) playing host to Cal Baptist for a 3 p.m. matchup on Saturday (Feb. 12) at McDonald's Swim Stadium.
IN THE RANKINGS
USC picked up the No. 2 ranking in the national preseason poll and remains there for the third week. Cal Baptist is unranked but receiving votes in the nation's Top-20 poll.
LAST WEEK
USC had a strong showing at the Stanford Invitational last weekend in the Trojans' first competition of the year. A well-rounded start saw USC post a 9-1 win over No. 15 Indiana before facing crosstown rival No. 4 UCLA later in the day. The Trojans were in control throughout, winning 10-8 to get in position for a shot at the title match. To get there, USC had to get through No. 5 Hawai'i the next morning, and the Trojans took care of that business as well with a 9-7 decision. Nadia Dan recorded hat tricks to lead USC in all three games of group play, with the Trojans facing top-ranked host Stanford in the championship match -- a rematch of the 2010 NCAA final that USC won 10-9. In this one, USC and Stanford were neck-and-neck throughout, with the Trojans forcing overtime with Kristen Dronberger's fourth goal of the game to close regulation. It was tied up again after two overtime periods to bring up sudden death, the first of which passed without a score, thanks in large part to a penalty shot save from USC goalie Flora Bolonyai. Stanford would get the winning score in the second sudden-death period, however, to claim a tight 10-9 win and get the championship for the hosts. For her 31 saves in her first four games as a Trojan, freshman goalie Bolonyai was named the MPSF Newcomer of the Week.
SCOUTING CBU
The Lancers enter the week with 4-2 overall record after wins over Vanguard, Redlands and Cal State San Bernardino last weekend at the Lancer Invitational. CBU faces Hartwick on Wednesday before coming to Troy on Saturday. USC is 5-0 all-time against Cal Baptist, but the teams haven't faced off since 2002, when the Trojans notched a 21-0 victory at a tournament in Long Beach.
HOME POOL ADVANTAGE
USC's win over UCLA on April 17, 2010, rounded out another undefeated home season for the Women of Troy, marking the program's eighth season overall with a flawless stand in USC's home waters. So far, USC has completed undefeated runs at home in 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009. That puts USC's home win streak at 18 straight victories at McDonald's Swim Stadium entering the 2011 campaign.
LAST SEASON
In 2010, the USC women emerged with their third national championship in beating top-seeded Stanford 10-9 in the 2010 NCAA Championship game. USC finished the year with a 25-3 overall record after going 6-1 in MPSF play with a second-place finish in the MPSF Tournament. USC's last NCAA title had come in 2004, and 2010 marked the Trojans' seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. Kami Craig was named the Cutino Award winner for the second straight season, and Tumua Anae was the MPSF Player of the Year. That pair also led USC's All-American count for the season, with Craig becoming just the second Trojan to be named the National Player of the Year, joining 1999 honoree Bernice Orwig. Anae and junior Joelle Bekhazi were both First Team All-Americans along with Craig. Junior Kristen Dronberger was named to the Second Team, and senior Forel Davies was on the Third Team. That led in to a trio of Trojans earning Honorable Mention: seniors Alexandra Kiss and Kally Lucas and freshman Patricia Jancso. Jovan Vavic picked up his third selection as the National Women's Coach of the Year - each of which has followed national championships for his Women of Troy (1999, 2004 and 2010).
