Thursday, January 25
Los Angeles, CA
5:00 PM
USC
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USC vs. China (Exhibition)
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Photo by: John McGillen
No. 3 USC Hosts China In Exhibition Play Before Trip To CBU Mini Invite
January 24, 2018 | Women's Water Polo, Features
Trojans face China at 5 p.m. on Thursday at Uytengsu, then clash with CBU and Pomona-Pitzer on Saturday in Riverside.
THIS WEEK
USC digs a little deeper into the 2018 campaign this week, hosting an exhibition match before two more official contests out at the CBU Mini Invitational. On Thursday (Jan. 25), the Trojans host the Chinese National Team in a 5 p.m. exhibition game at Uytengsu Aquatics Center. On Saturday (Jan. 28), No. 3 USC (1-0) heads out to Riverside to take on host Cal Baptist at 12:45 p.m. before facing Pomona-Pitzer at 2 p.m. at the CBU Mini Invitational.
USC IN THE RANKINGS
USC kicked off 2018 ranked No. 2 in the national preseason poll and tied for third in the MPSF preseason poll. In the latest national poll (released Jan. 24), USC is listed at No. 3.
SCOUTING CBU
The Lancers are 0-3 overall after opening the year at the UCSB Winter Invite, where CBU lost 9-7 to Cal State Northridge, 8-3 to UC Santa Barbara and 12-3 to Arizona State. Lizette Perez is the Lancers' top scorer with five goals. Goalie Grace Ramirez averages 10.0 saves and 8.5 goals-against per game. USC is 12-0 all-time against Cal Baptist after a 22-1 win last season at the UCSB Winter Invite.
SCOUTING P-P
This will be the first weekend of work for the Sagehens, who went 16-18 overall last season. Top scorer Jocelyn Castro is back, having scored 44 goals last year. USC is 8-0 all-time against Pomona-Pitzer after a 25-2 win last season at the Whittier Invitational.
SEASON OPENER
USC stormed out of the gates of the 2018 season in churning out an 18-0 shutout of No. 22 LMU in the first official action of the season at the UCLA Mini Invite. Behind seven saves from junior goalie Amanda Longan, the USC defense turned away 10 Lion power play opportunities to help lock up the shutout win and make it a 1-0 start to the year. Senior Hayley McKelvey drummed up four goals in the first period of play — all 6-on-5 finishes — to set the tone for the Trojan offensive onslaught. Freshman Paige Hauschild should tally her first goal as a Trojan during the first frame, while Kelsey McIntosh delivered her first of two goals on the day and Maud Megens started off on her path to an eventual game-high five goals for the Trojan cause. Up 7-0 after eight minutes of action, USC received two goals from senior captain Brianna Daboub, two more from Megens and the first career goal as a Trojan for freshman Verica Bakoc to lead it 12-0 by halftime. By the final buzzer, sophomore Denise Mammolito had joined the scoresheet, while Hauschild completed her debut hat trick and Megens round out her five-goal outing. After the impressive showing, Megens was named the MPSF Player of the Week, and Hauschild was selected MPSF Newcomer of the Week.
CLIMB ON
As the 2018 season rolls on, two USC seniors are knocking on the door of the century scoring club. Brianna Daboub has punched up 93 career goals to date, with Hayley McKelvey holding 84 as they look to crack the 100-goal mark in their final season at Troy. On the defensive end, two USC goalies are climbing the all-time saves ladder. Senior Victória Chamorro ranks No. 5 all-time with 384 career saves, while junior Amanda Longan stands at No. 7 with 373. She's five saves away from jumping into the No. 6 spot currently held by Whitney Morgan.
2018 TROJANS AT A GLANCE
Five All-Americans and seven NCAA champions strong, the 2018 USC women's water polo roster has the experience and the skill to lock up another national championship. This year's arsenal of Trojans boasts a daunting blend of veterans and youth — all armed with the talent and savvy to propel USC to the top. Already ranked No. 2 in the land as the 2018 season gets underway, USC trains its focus on that NCAA trophy, which the Trojans last captured in 2016 in an undefeated run through that season. Back in the captains' roles for 2018 are two members of that title-winning team in All-Americans Brianna Daboub and Amanda Longan, who are leading a group of very hungry Women of Troy. Headlining this freshman class is U.S. National Team member Paige Hauschild, who is tabbed as a starter for the Trojans. A set of sophomores — Denise Mammolito, Maud Megens and Kelsey McIntosh are also in that mix, along with savvy seniors Daboub and Hayley McKelvey.
CAGE FIGHTERS
USC boasts a fearsome tagteam in the cage in All-American tandem Victória Chamorro and Amanda Longan. Both compete for their respective national teams — Chamorro as a 2016 Olympian with Brazil and Longan as a gold-medalist with Team USA at the recent 2017 FINA World Championships. The Trojan defense allowed just 4.59 goals per game last season, with both Chamorro and Longan averaging over 10 saves per game in the cage.
BACK ON THE ATTACK
A year's experience for last season's freshmen — Maud Megens, Kelsey McIntosh, Denise Mammolito, Elise Stein and Kaylee Brownsberger — along with the leadership of 2016 NCAA champion seniors Victória Chamorro, Brianna Daboub, Hayley McKelvey and Annika Jensen and juniors Amanda Longan, Courtney Fahey and Brooke Presten will raise the bar again for the Trojans. As a true freshman, Megens was USC's second leading scorer with 58 goals. Daboub, McKelvey and Mammolito combined for an even 100 goals. Add to that the depth charge that U.S. National Team member Paige Hauschild and her fellow true freshmen bring for 2018, and USC's attack becomes well-rounded and dangerous. USC also has three new internationals in the water to diversify that attack. Canadians Verica Bakoc and Nina Ceklic are in the mix, along with New Zealand product Nadia Pavlovich. U.S. product Randi Reinhardt also stands out as a key addition to USC's rotation for 2018.
LAST SEASON
In 2017, the Trojans finished up 29-4 overall with a run to the 2017 NCAA semifinals in USC's 14th consecutive trip to the tourney. USC posted a 4-2 record in MPSF action and went on to claim third in the 2017 MPSF Tournament. The Trojans received a No. 3 seed into the NCAA Tournament, where USC was looking to win back-to-back national championships for the first time in program history. USC would go up against top-seeded Stanford in the semis, coming up just short of a trip to the final with an 11-10 loss. Stephania Haralabidis was USC's top scorer in 2017 with 84 goals. She'd be named a First Team All-American to close out her USC career. Freshman Maud Megens earned Second Team honors, while senior Brigitta Games and sophomore Amanda Longan were Third Team picks, and junior captain Brianna Daboub earned All-America Honorable Mention.•
USC digs a little deeper into the 2018 campaign this week, hosting an exhibition match before two more official contests out at the CBU Mini Invitational. On Thursday (Jan. 25), the Trojans host the Chinese National Team in a 5 p.m. exhibition game at Uytengsu Aquatics Center. On Saturday (Jan. 28), No. 3 USC (1-0) heads out to Riverside to take on host Cal Baptist at 12:45 p.m. before facing Pomona-Pitzer at 2 p.m. at the CBU Mini Invitational.
USC IN THE RANKINGS
USC kicked off 2018 ranked No. 2 in the national preseason poll and tied for third in the MPSF preseason poll. In the latest national poll (released Jan. 24), USC is listed at No. 3.
SCOUTING CBU
The Lancers are 0-3 overall after opening the year at the UCSB Winter Invite, where CBU lost 9-7 to Cal State Northridge, 8-3 to UC Santa Barbara and 12-3 to Arizona State. Lizette Perez is the Lancers' top scorer with five goals. Goalie Grace Ramirez averages 10.0 saves and 8.5 goals-against per game. USC is 12-0 all-time against Cal Baptist after a 22-1 win last season at the UCSB Winter Invite.
SCOUTING P-P
This will be the first weekend of work for the Sagehens, who went 16-18 overall last season. Top scorer Jocelyn Castro is back, having scored 44 goals last year. USC is 8-0 all-time against Pomona-Pitzer after a 25-2 win last season at the Whittier Invitational.
SEASON OPENER
USC stormed out of the gates of the 2018 season in churning out an 18-0 shutout of No. 22 LMU in the first official action of the season at the UCLA Mini Invite. Behind seven saves from junior goalie Amanda Longan, the USC defense turned away 10 Lion power play opportunities to help lock up the shutout win and make it a 1-0 start to the year. Senior Hayley McKelvey drummed up four goals in the first period of play — all 6-on-5 finishes — to set the tone for the Trojan offensive onslaught. Freshman Paige Hauschild should tally her first goal as a Trojan during the first frame, while Kelsey McIntosh delivered her first of two goals on the day and Maud Megens started off on her path to an eventual game-high five goals for the Trojan cause. Up 7-0 after eight minutes of action, USC received two goals from senior captain Brianna Daboub, two more from Megens and the first career goal as a Trojan for freshman Verica Bakoc to lead it 12-0 by halftime. By the final buzzer, sophomore Denise Mammolito had joined the scoresheet, while Hauschild completed her debut hat trick and Megens round out her five-goal outing. After the impressive showing, Megens was named the MPSF Player of the Week, and Hauschild was selected MPSF Newcomer of the Week.
CLIMB ON
As the 2018 season rolls on, two USC seniors are knocking on the door of the century scoring club. Brianna Daboub has punched up 93 career goals to date, with Hayley McKelvey holding 84 as they look to crack the 100-goal mark in their final season at Troy. On the defensive end, two USC goalies are climbing the all-time saves ladder. Senior Victória Chamorro ranks No. 5 all-time with 384 career saves, while junior Amanda Longan stands at No. 7 with 373. She's five saves away from jumping into the No. 6 spot currently held by Whitney Morgan.
2018 TROJANS AT A GLANCE
Five All-Americans and seven NCAA champions strong, the 2018 USC women's water polo roster has the experience and the skill to lock up another national championship. This year's arsenal of Trojans boasts a daunting blend of veterans and youth — all armed with the talent and savvy to propel USC to the top. Already ranked No. 2 in the land as the 2018 season gets underway, USC trains its focus on that NCAA trophy, which the Trojans last captured in 2016 in an undefeated run through that season. Back in the captains' roles for 2018 are two members of that title-winning team in All-Americans Brianna Daboub and Amanda Longan, who are leading a group of very hungry Women of Troy. Headlining this freshman class is U.S. National Team member Paige Hauschild, who is tabbed as a starter for the Trojans. A set of sophomores — Denise Mammolito, Maud Megens and Kelsey McIntosh are also in that mix, along with savvy seniors Daboub and Hayley McKelvey.
CAGE FIGHTERS
USC boasts a fearsome tagteam in the cage in All-American tandem Victória Chamorro and Amanda Longan. Both compete for their respective national teams — Chamorro as a 2016 Olympian with Brazil and Longan as a gold-medalist with Team USA at the recent 2017 FINA World Championships. The Trojan defense allowed just 4.59 goals per game last season, with both Chamorro and Longan averaging over 10 saves per game in the cage.
BACK ON THE ATTACK
A year's experience for last season's freshmen — Maud Megens, Kelsey McIntosh, Denise Mammolito, Elise Stein and Kaylee Brownsberger — along with the leadership of 2016 NCAA champion seniors Victória Chamorro, Brianna Daboub, Hayley McKelvey and Annika Jensen and juniors Amanda Longan, Courtney Fahey and Brooke Presten will raise the bar again for the Trojans. As a true freshman, Megens was USC's second leading scorer with 58 goals. Daboub, McKelvey and Mammolito combined for an even 100 goals. Add to that the depth charge that U.S. National Team member Paige Hauschild and her fellow true freshmen bring for 2018, and USC's attack becomes well-rounded and dangerous. USC also has three new internationals in the water to diversify that attack. Canadians Verica Bakoc and Nina Ceklic are in the mix, along with New Zealand product Nadia Pavlovich. U.S. product Randi Reinhardt also stands out as a key addition to USC's rotation for 2018.
LAST SEASON
In 2017, the Trojans finished up 29-4 overall with a run to the 2017 NCAA semifinals in USC's 14th consecutive trip to the tourney. USC posted a 4-2 record in MPSF action and went on to claim third in the 2017 MPSF Tournament. The Trojans received a No. 3 seed into the NCAA Tournament, where USC was looking to win back-to-back national championships for the first time in program history. USC would go up against top-seeded Stanford in the semis, coming up just short of a trip to the final with an 11-10 loss. Stephania Haralabidis was USC's top scorer in 2017 with 84 goals. She'd be named a First Team All-American to close out her USC career. Freshman Maud Megens earned Second Team honors, while senior Brigitta Games and sophomore Amanda Longan were Third Team picks, and junior captain Brianna Daboub earned All-America Honorable Mention.•
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