Friday, May 10
Stanford, CA
12:00 PM
USC
vs
UC San Diego
Players Mentioned
DR
/ Women's Water Polo
D
/ Women's Water Polo
2M
/ Women's Water Polo
2M
/ Women's Water Polo
DR
/ Women's Water Polo
DR
/ Women's Water Polo
D
/ Women's Water Polo
2M
/ Women's Water Polo
UT
/ Women's Water Polo
D
/ Women's Water Polo
2M
/ Women's Water Polo
G
/ Women's Water Polo
UT
/ Women's Water Polo
DR
/ Women's Water Polo
DR
/ Women's Water Polo
UT
/ Women's Water Polo
UT
/ Women's Water Polo
G
/ Women's Water Polo
2M
/ Women's Water Polo
DR
/ Women's Water Polo
UT
/ Women's Water Polo
Photo by: Kristen Tehaney
No. 1 USC Enters 2019 NCAA Action Aiming For Back-to-Back Titles
May 07, 2019 | Women's Water Polo, Features
Trojans set up defense of their 2018 national championship as the top seed in the 2019 tourney this week.
THIS WEEK
Back at No. 1 in the land — the same spot the Trojans finished out last year — USC is just weeks removed from a successful defense of its 2018 MPSF Tournament title. This week, USC is looking to defend an even bigger crown. As the top seed for the 2019 National Collegiate Women's Water Polo Championship, USC is laser-focused on making program history with its first-ever back-to-back NCAA championships. The Trojans (26-1) begin their quest carrying a six-game win streak into a quarterfinal meeting at 12 p.m. on Friday (May 10) against UC San Diego (21-14). A win there pushes USC into a 3 p.m. semifinal on Saturday (May 11) against either California or Hawai'i, with the 2019 NCAA championship bout set for 3 p.m. on Sunday (May 12). All the NCAA action is taking place at Stanford's Avery Aquatic Center, with matches streaming live at ncaa.com
Â
Â
USC IN THE RANKINGS
USC kicked off 2019 ranked No. 1 in the national preseason poll and selected at No. 1 in the MPSF preseason poll. USC remained at No. 1 until a March 30 loss to Stanford snapped a 36-game win streak and pushed the Trojans to No. 2 in the nation the following week. After beating the Cardinal to win the MPSF Tournament title, USC has risen back to No. 1 in the land as of the latest rankings (released May 1).
Â
Â
NCAA NOTES
USC has won six national championships in program history, with the first coming in 1999 before the NCAA sponsored women's water polo. In 2004, USC posted the first-ever undefeated season on the way to capturing the 2014 NCAA title. USC's third title came in 2010 — the last time the Trojans swept the MPSF coach, player and newcomer awards — in a championship won over Stanford. Three years later in 2013, the Trojans topped the Cardinal in tripe sudden-death overtime — the longest NCAA final in history — to claim a fourth national championship for USC. In another three years, USC was back on top once more, posting a second undefeated season en route to the 2016 NCAA Championship in another epic battle against Stanford. Last year, USC hosted the NCAA tourney and won it all in home waters, claiming a sixth national championship with its run to the 2018 title. This year marks USC's 16th consecutive NCAA appearance and 16th overall, as the Trojans hold a 32-11 all-time record in NCAA tournament games since the even began in 2001. What's more, the Women of Troy have a chance to register the university's 108th NCAA team championship with a run to this 2019 tourney title. In doing so, USC would also make program history with its first-ever back-to-back NCAA titles.
Â
Â
BRACKET BREAKDOWN
This year's National Collegiate field includes seven automatic qualifiers from conference championships and three at-large teams. Six teams qualify directly to the championship field, and the remaining four teams will compete in Opening Round games, set for May 7. Those winners will advance to quarterfinal games set for May 10, with semifinals held May 11 and the NCAA Championship game set for 3 p.m. on May 12. All games will be played at Stanford's Avery Aquatic Center. Earning automatic berths this year — along with MPSF champion USC — are Michigan (CWPA), Pacific (Golden Coast), Cal Lutheran (SCIAC), Hawai'i (Big West), Pacific (WWPA) and Wagner (MAAC). This year's at-large teams are California, Stanford and UCLA — all out of the MPSF.
Â
Â
THIS TIME LAST YEAR
USC was the top seed and carried a 13-game win streak with a 23-1 overall record into the 2018 NCAA Tournament as an automatic qualifier as MPSF champion. Host of the 2019 tourney, USC opened with a 12-5 win over Wagner to earn a semifinal spot against No. 4 seed UCLA. Senior captain Brianna Daboub and freshman Paige Hauschild each delivered three goals while Amanda Longa collected 10 saves to help USC top the Bruins 10-6 and move into the title match. In an epic defensive battle with No. 2 seed Stanford, the NCAA hosts  claimed a 5-4 victory to earn the program's sixth national championship. Longan had 10 more saves for the Trojans cause, and sophomore Denise Mammolito had a hat trick, including the winner with 1:57 to go. At the close of the event, goalie Amanda Longan was named the NCAA Tournament MVP, joined by teammates Brianna Daboub, Paige Hauschild and Denise Mammolito on the All-Tournament First Team, while sophomore Maud Megens landed a spot on the All-Tournament Second Team.
Â
Â
MPSF CHAMPIONS
After a 4-1 finish in the MPSF regular season, the Trojans were the No. 2 seed into the 2019 MPSF Tournament, hosted by Stanford April 28-30. The Trojans opened up against No. 7 seeded MPSF newcomer Indiana and beat the Hoosiers 19-3 to move into the semifinals against No. 3 seed UCLA. USC would score three unanswered goals in under three minutes to build out a 9-4 win over the Bruins in a balanced offensive effort that was backed up by 11 saves by goalie Amanda Longan. Up against top-seeded host Stanford in the title match, USC shrugged off a two-goal deficit in the fourth period and forced overtime, where the Trojans would eventually net the golden goal on Paige Hauschild's blast from 10 meters out after almost 41 minutes of action to beat Stanford and win USC's second consecutive MPSF Tournament championship. At the close of the event, Paige Hauschild was named the 2019 MPSF Tournament MVP, joined by teammates Amanda Longan and Maud Megens on the All-Tournament Team. Megens had been named the MVP last year, and Longan also scored the award in 2016.
Â
Â
BACK-TO-BACK BATTLE
For almost a decade now, there's been a fierce title tug-of-war between two teams. The claim to the NCAA women's water polo championship has gone to either USC or Stanford for the past nine seasons. For every tug in the Trojan direction — there's been four titles won by USC in that stretch — the Cardinal have grabbed ahold the next year. At the end of the line this season is a chance for the USC women to do what they've never done before — to claim back-to-back national championships.Â
Â
Â
BKI CHAMPS
USC stayed perfect on the year with a winning run to the 2019 Barbara Kalbus Invitational championship in late February. The Trojans opened up with a 13-5 win over San Diego State before wrapping group play with a 7-1 win over Arizona State. In the semifinals, USC had a tighter contest in a meeting with Cal, but the Trojans pulled out the 9-8 win to move into the title match. Up against Stanford in a rematch of last year's NCAA final, USC was again up to the test, making a late rally in the fourth and holding off the Cardinal for a 10-8 victory that kept the Trojans' win streak intact. After the winning run, USC locked up its second sweep of the MPSF's weekly honors as Maud Megens picked up her second MPSF Player of the Week award of the year and Bayley Weber had her first career selection as MPSF Newcomer of the Week on Feb. 26. Megens delivered six goals at the invite, with a hat trick in a 9-8 semifinal win over Cal and two goals in the 10-8 title match victory over Stanford. It was is Megens' second MPSF Player of the Week pick this year and fourth overall. Freshman Weber scored four goals, including two in the semifinal win over Cal and one in the championship victory over Stanford at the Barbara Kalbus Invitational. A force on the defensive end as well, Weber got a key steal early against Cal and took it the other way for an early USC lead in the semis. It's Weber's first career award as a Trojan.
Â
Â
THREE SWEEPS WEEKS
(Say that 10 times fast!) USC compiled five MPSF Player of the Week selections and five MPSF Newcomer of the Week honors this year. Three times, the Trojans swept the weekly awards. Junior Maud Megens laid claim to three Player of the Week picks, while freshman Bayley Weber led the conference with three Newcomer of the Week selections. Fellow freshman Alejandra Aznar snagged the award twice. Meanwhile, senior goalie Amanda Longan and sophomore Paige Hauschild each secured a MPSF Player of the Week award this year.
Â
Â
CLIMB ON
As 2019 NCAA action approaches, the Trojans continue to see players climbing the career charts. With her fifth goal at the UCSB Winter Invitational, junior Maud Megens tallied her 100th career goal as a Trojan on Jan. 18. Megens now ranks No. 11 all-time at USC in scoring with 158 career goals. On the defensive end, senior goalie Amanda Longan entered her senior season ranked No. 3 all-time at USC in career saves. She'd haul in a career-high 19 saves in USC's season opener to tally the second most single-game saves by a Trojan. The next week, she collected her fourth career complete-game shutout, The senior now grips 813 career saves — 25 stops away from the No. 2 all-time tally of 838 held by Longan's fellow Cutino-winning goalie Bernice Orwig. Also on the rise in the career charts are Paige Hauschild and Denise Mammolito. Hauschild cracked the 100-goal zone with her first of four against UCLA on April 20, now holding 113 career goals. Mammolito, meanwhile, is just one away from the century mark, gripping 99 to date.
Â
Â
BY THE NUMBERS
Now 27 games into 2019, USC has outscored opponents 373-117. Maud Megens is the Trojans' top scorer to date with 63 goals — bettering her freshman season production of 58. Behind Megens on the 2019 scoresheet sits Paige Hauschild with 45 goals and Alejandra Aznar with 36. They're followed by Kelsey McIntosh (32), Bayley Weber (32), Denise Mammolito (28) and Tilly Kearns (27), while freshman Mireia Guiral is also in the 20-goal zone with 22. On the defensive end, two goalies have checked into the cage to date. Senior Amanda Longan has logged minutes in 24 games, averaging 11.1 saves and 4.4 goals-against per game. She also boasts the second most single-game saves by a Trojan, having made a career-high 19 stops vs. Cal Baptist on Jan. 19. In all this year, Longan has recorded 13 outings with double-digit saves. Redshirt sophomore Holly Parker has stepped in in 12 games, averaging 8.4 saves and 3.9 goals-against per game to date while also claiming a career-high 10-save day. The Trojan defense has rendered opponents silent in at least one period of play in 21 games while accumulating a grand total of 40 shutout periods this season so far, including back-to-back complete-game shutouts. Overall, USC is averaging 13.8 goals per game on the offensive end and is allowing just 4.3 goals-against per game defensively. The Trojan defense leads the MPSF.
Â
Â
ON YOUR LEFT
A spring addition to the Trojan roster, Alejandra Aznar's presence bumps USC's set of left-handed shooters to four, with fellow freshman Grace Tehaney also wielding a deft left hand, while returning lefties Verica Bakoc and Sabrina Garabet are already proven sharpshooters. USC's lefties have combined for 74 goals — 20 percent of the Trojans' team total.
Â
Â
SET DEPTH
USC has also brought in reinforcements at 2-meters. The Trojans now have three true centers at the ready in newcomers Mireia Guiral and Tilly Kearns and sophomore Nina Ceklic. Courtney Fahey and Kaylee Brownsberger also were in the mix at set last year. Freshmen Guiral and Kearns have tag-teamed at 2-meters for a combined 49 goals to date.
Â
Â
PERIMETER POWER
A powerful presence at set can open up the perimeter, where USC's top guns are ready to strike. Paige Hauschild was USC's top scorer last year, followed by Denise Mammolito, who is now a junior. Fellow junior Maud Megens also is back, standing out as one of the most dangerous scorers in the world. That trio alone has combined for more than a third of USC's goal scoring to date.Â
Â
Â
GETTING DEFENSIVE
Cutino Award winner Amanda Longan looms large as arguably the best goalie in collegiate waters. She has two rising proteges alongside her in redshirt sophomore Holly Parker. That duo backs up what is becoming a strong defensive corps, where Paige Hauschild has already proven herself as a relentless defender. So, too, do freshmen Bayley Weber and Mireia Guiral stand to make a defensive impact alongside returning defensive-savvy Trojans Randi Reinhardt and Denise Mammolito.
Â
Â
SEASON OPENER
Against Cal Baptist in the Trojans' 2019 season opener, USC tacked up the first five goals of the game — all from the hands of newcomers. The first goal of the year came from Mireia Guiral, whose fellow Spaniard Alejandra Aznar drilled three goals in that 5-0 start. Fellow freshman Grace Tehaney also got to the back of the net in that surge before another freshman — Bayley Weber scored her first of a first-period hat trick to help USC along to a 10-2 lead after eight minutes of action. That 10th goal was also served up by a fresh face in Tilly Kearns, while the final two of the day came from new Trojans as well. Freshmen Sophia Lucas and Claire Haas would tally their first career USC goals in their first appearances in Cardinal and Gold to get in on the winning start to 2019. Aznar finished up with five goals to lead the pack, while junior Maud Megens plugged in four. Freshmen Tehaney and Weber had a hat trick apiece in that opening win over Cal Baptist.
Â
Â
2019 TROJANS AT A GLANCE
The 2019 Trojans opened the season picked No. 1 in the MPSF Preseason Poll and No. 1 in the nation. In USC's arsenal for 2019 are the MPSF Player and Newcomer of the Year in Amanda Longan and Paige Hauschild. Both Longan and Hauschild were First Team All-Americans, while Longan also reigned supreme as the Peter J. Cutino Award winner. USC also boasts two more All-Americans in juniors Denise Mammolito and Maud Megens, who further highlight a grand total of 11 returning Trojans who were on the NCAA Championship-winning roster in 2018. Gone are three All-Americans who took with them two NCAA championship rings in Brianna Daboub, Victória Chamorro and Hayley McKelvey. But USC has added three new international players, along with a set of talented California products who stand out in the Trojan freshman class. Australian import Tilly Kearns is joined by Spaniards Alejandra Aznar and Mireia Guiral as the newest Women of Troy. That trio along with U.S. Junior National Team members Grace Tehaney and Bayley Weber add a fresh depth charge to the USC gameplan. The 2019 Women of Troy are captained by seniors Longan and Courtney Fahey, who have been members of USC's 2016 and 2018 NCAA Championship teams.
Â
Â
LAST SEASON
With USC's 16th straight win of 2018, the Trojans claimed the university's 105th NCAA team championship and the sixth for the USC women's water polo program on a 5-4 victory over Stanford in USC's home pool. It was the Trojans' second NCAA title in three years, and gave USC a final 26-1 overall record. It was head coach Jovan Vavic's 15th national championship as a head coach at USC, with six titles won by the USC women and nine by the USC men — all under Vavic's watch. USC had gone 5-0 in MPSF play and won the MPSF Tournament title along the way to get the top seed into the NCAA tourney. Junior goalie Amanda Longan and freshman Paige Hauschild were both named finalists for the Peter J. Cutino Award, with Longan emerging as the winner of the prestigious award to become the second USC goalie and the seventh Woman of Troy to win it. Both Longan and Hauschild earned First Team All-America honors, along with sophomore Maud Megens. Senior Brianna Daboub earned a spot on the All-America Second Team, with fellow senior Hayley McKelvey on the Third Team. Sophomore Denise Mammolito picked up All-America Honorable Mention. Longan was also the National Player of the Year, with Jovan Vavic named National Coach of the Year. •
USC Water Polo's Emily Ausmus | Trojans Live 3.24.25
Monday, March 24
Women's Water Polo - Stanford 8, USC 3: Highlights (5/10/24)
Friday, May 10
Julia Janov - 2024 NCAA Women's Water Polo Banquet speech
Thursday, May 09
Women's Water Polo - Stanford 12, USC 11: Highlights (4/28/24)
Sunday, April 28
