USC
Hawai'i
No. 3 USC Overtakes Hawai'i In OT
March 18, 2011 | Women's Water Polo
March 18, 2011
HONOLULU -- The No. 3 USC women's water polo team captured an important MPSF win with a tense 5-4 overtime victory over No. 5 host Hawai'i on Friday night in Honolulu. The Trojans trailed 3-2 entering the fourth period, but fought back to tie it up. USC silenced the Rainbow Wahine in OT, and Patricia Jancso scored in the final minute to lock in the Women of Troy with the win. USC improves to 12-3 overall and is now 3-1 in MPSF play.
Joelle Bekhazi scored twice in regulation for the Trojans, with Kristen Dronberger and Sarah Van Norman also serving up game-tying goals as the Trojans were forced to play catchup throughout until Jancso struck in overtime for USC's first lead of the game. USC goalie Flora Bolonyai had 12 goals down the stretch for the Trojan defense.
Hawai'i drew first blood in the game with a 6-on-5 score to start things up, but the Trojans answered back with another power-play goal of their own by Joelle Bekhazi, tying the score 1-1 to end the first quarter.
There was little action in the second quarter, but following a penalty call on USC, freshman Kelly McKee scored a penalty shot, giving the Rainbow Wahine a 2-1 halftime advantage.
The Trojans tied the score again to begin the second half off a power-play goal by Sarah Van Norman, but the Rainbow Wahine took the lead back 3-2 again after sophomore Amarens Genee scored with 1:32 left in the third quarter.
USC rallied back again in the fourth, tying the score 3-3 within the first minute of play on a strike from Kristen Dronberger. But with 4:41 on the clock, Amarens Genee scored to steal the lead back from the Trojans again 4-3.
The Trojans answered back again with just two seconds left of regulation, following a perimeter shot by Bekhazi seven-meters out, USC tied the score 4-4, sending the game into overtime.
Following a silent first overtime period, USC stole the lead in the second overtime period when Patricia Jancso muscled in a goal with 37 seconds left. The Rainbow Wahine couldn't answer back in time and fell to the Trojans 5-4.
USC now plays a couple exhibition matches in Honolulu against the Canadian and Australian national teams before returning home. The Trojans' next match at McDonald's Swim Stadium puts USC up against Maryland in a 5 p.m. game on Friday (March 25), with a short trip to LMU slated for 12 p.m. on Saturday (March 26).
#3 USC 5, #5 Hawaii 4 (OT)
USC 1 - 0 - 1 - 2 --- 0 - 1 = 5
UH 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 --- 0 - 0 = 4
SCORING:
USC -- Joelle Bekhazi 2, Sarah Van Norman, Patricia Jancso, Kristen Dronberger.
UH -- Amarens Genee 2, Kelly McKee, Leonie Van Der Molen.
SAVES: Flora Bolonyai (USC) 12, Serena Bredin (UH) 15.
