Saturday, December 2
Los Angeles, Calif.
4:00 PM
USC
16-7
9
vs
10
California
22-5
1
2
3
4
F
Southern California
2
2
3
2
9
California
4
1
3
2
10
Team Stats
USC
CAL
Shots
31
28
Goals
9
10
Assists
6
10
Points
15
20
Exclusions
11
15
Steals
9
5
Sprints
2
2
1
Max Casabella
7:14
Jake Howerton
4:14
Luka Brnetic
4:02
Tony Nardelli
3:17
Jordi Gascon
2:50
Max Casabella
0:02
2
Massimo Di Martire
2:14
Jake Howerton
0:35
Carson Kranz
0:01
3
Jake Howerton
7:31
Jake Howerton
6:45
Massimo Di Martire
6:28
Massimo Di Martire
5:00
Wyatt Mundelius
2:19
Jake Carter
0:49
4
Max Casabella
7:34
Carson Kranz
7:03
Tony Nardelli
6:14
Marton Szatmary
1:47
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
8
Goals
3
Assists
2
Points
5
Shots
5
Goals
0
Assists
0
Points
0
Shots
4
Goals
2
Assists
0
Points
2
Shots
3
Goals
1
Assists
1
Points
2
Players Mentioned
2M
/ Men's Water Polo
DR
/ Men's Water PoloD
/ Men's Water Polo
G
/ Men's Water PoloDR
/ Men's Water Polo
DR
/ Men's Water Polo
2M
/ Men's Water PoloPhoto by: Katie Chin
USC Men’s Water Polo Wraps 2023 Campaign In NCAA Semis
December 02, 2023 | Men's Water Polo
Cal claims a 10-9 win over USC, which had graduating Trojans Massimo Di Martire and Tony Nardelli combine for five goals in their final game.
LOS ANGELES — The top-ranked USC men's water polo team fought out of a three-goal hole and tied it up in the fourth period before California got the goal and stop it needed to claim a 10-9 win over the host Trojans in today's NCAA semifinal clash at Uytengsu Aquatics Center. USC's two graduating Trojans — grad student Massimo Di Martire and senior Tony Nardelli — combined for five of USC's goals in their final appearance for USC, which finishes up the 2023 season at 16-7 overall after making the program's 19th straight NCAA appearance.
The Trojans faced a 7-4 deficit early in the third period, but chipped away at Cal in the next eight minutes, netting back-to-back blasts from Di Martire to get one back and then seeing Jake Carter answer a Cal goal with a sizzling crosscage strike that had USC within one entering the fourth down 8-7. Cal struck on a counterattack to open that final frame, but USC was undeterred. Di Martire fed captain Carson Kranz for a power move and finish at two-meter 30 seconds later. After earning a 6-on-5, Nardelli took a quick feed from Tom McGuire and punched it in to knot the game a 9-9 with 6:14 remaining. Defenses dug in at both ends before the Bears broke the silence and went ahead 10-9 with 1:47 to go. What could have been an exciting final moments of water polo was brought to a halt when a late exclusion was called against the Trojans with 33 seconds remaining, leaving Cal to hold the ball and give USC just a late last-gasp try in the final seconds as the Golden Bears emerged with the ticket to the title match.
Cal had taken the first steps forward in ringing up the first two goals of the game before USC answered back on a 5-meter penalty shot from Luka Brnetic and a slam from Nardelli at the post to snarl it up 2-2. Cal moved back ahead 4-2 by the close of the first, although USC would carve back to within one by halftime on a skipper from Di Martire and a final word from Kranz to wrap the half with USC one back at 5-4. That brought up the busy second half of action, which would wind up in Cal's favor.
NOTABLE:
- With 10 saves today, RS FR Bernardo Herzer recorded his ninth double-digit save outing in his first season of action at USC.
- With three goals today, GS Massimo Di Martire finishes with 103 career goals scored as a Trojan.
- With two goals today, SR Tony Nardelli finishes with 59 career goals scored as a Trojan.
- Di Martire led USC this season having scored in 20 different games this season.
- USC is now 70-71-2 all-time against Cal in a series dating back to 1979.
- USC made its 19th straight NCAA appearance with this 2023 run, picking up its 13th MPSF Tournament title along the way.
2023 NCAA TOURNAMENT
SEMIFINALS
California 10, USC 9
Dec. 2 2023 | Uytengsu Aquatics Complex (Los Angeles, Calif.)
USC 2 - 2 - 3 - 2 = 9
CAL 4 - 1 - 3 - 2 = 10
SCORING:
USC — Massimo Di Martire 3, Tony Nardelli 2, Carson Kranz 2, Luka Brnetic, Jake Carter.
CAL — Jake Howerton 4, Max Casabella 3, Wyatt Mundelius, Jordi Cascon, Marton Szatmary.
SAVES: Bernardo Herzer (USC) 10, Adrian Weinberg (CAL) 11.
The Trojans faced a 7-4 deficit early in the third period, but chipped away at Cal in the next eight minutes, netting back-to-back blasts from Di Martire to get one back and then seeing Jake Carter answer a Cal goal with a sizzling crosscage strike that had USC within one entering the fourth down 8-7. Cal struck on a counterattack to open that final frame, but USC was undeterred. Di Martire fed captain Carson Kranz for a power move and finish at two-meter 30 seconds later. After earning a 6-on-5, Nardelli took a quick feed from Tom McGuire and punched it in to knot the game a 9-9 with 6:14 remaining. Defenses dug in at both ends before the Bears broke the silence and went ahead 10-9 with 1:47 to go. What could have been an exciting final moments of water polo was brought to a halt when a late exclusion was called against the Trojans with 33 seconds remaining, leaving Cal to hold the ball and give USC just a late last-gasp try in the final seconds as the Golden Bears emerged with the ticket to the title match.
Cal had taken the first steps forward in ringing up the first two goals of the game before USC answered back on a 5-meter penalty shot from Luka Brnetic and a slam from Nardelli at the post to snarl it up 2-2. Cal moved back ahead 4-2 by the close of the first, although USC would carve back to within one by halftime on a skipper from Di Martire and a final word from Kranz to wrap the half with USC one back at 5-4. That brought up the busy second half of action, which would wind up in Cal's favor.
NOTABLE:
- With 10 saves today, RS FR Bernardo Herzer recorded his ninth double-digit save outing in his first season of action at USC.
- With three goals today, GS Massimo Di Martire finishes with 103 career goals scored as a Trojan.
- With two goals today, SR Tony Nardelli finishes with 59 career goals scored as a Trojan.
- Di Martire led USC this season having scored in 20 different games this season.
- USC is now 70-71-2 all-time against Cal in a series dating back to 1979.
- USC made its 19th straight NCAA appearance with this 2023 run, picking up its 13th MPSF Tournament title along the way.
2023 NCAA TOURNAMENT
SEMIFINALS
California 10, USC 9
Dec. 2 2023 | Uytengsu Aquatics Complex (Los Angeles, Calif.)
USC 2 - 2 - 3 - 2 = 9
CAL 4 - 1 - 3 - 2 = 10
SCORING:
USC — Massimo Di Martire 3, Tony Nardelli 2, Carson Kranz 2, Luka Brnetic, Jake Carter.
CAL — Jake Howerton 4, Max Casabella 3, Wyatt Mundelius, Jordi Cascon, Marton Szatmary.
SAVES: Bernardo Herzer (USC) 10, Adrian Weinberg (CAL) 11.
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