Saturday, March 25
Los Angeles, Calif.
12:00 PM
USC
vs
Indiana
Players Mentioned
UT
/ Women's Water Polo
DR
/ Women's Water Polo
2M
/ Women's Water Polo
DR
/ Women's Water Polo
2M
/ Women's Water Polo
UT
/ Women's Water Polo
DR
/ Women's Water Polo
G
/ Women's Water Polo
DR
/ Women's Water Polo
UT
/ Women's Water Polo
2M
/ Women's Water Polo
DR
/ Women's Water Polo
2M
/ Women's Water Polo
UT
/ Women's Water Polo
UT
/ Women's Water Polo
G
/ Women's Water Polo
G
/ Women's Water Polo
DR
/ Women's Water Polo
UT
/ Women's Water Polo
UT
/ Women's Water Polo
DR
/ Women's Water Polo
Photo by: Katie Chin
No. 2 USC Women’s Water Polo Is Back In Home Waters To Host Indiana Saturday
March 22, 2023 | Women's Water Polo
Trojans take on the No. 19 Hoosiers in a noon MPSF matchup at Uytengsu Aquatics Center.
#2 USC (19-1, 1-0) vs. #19 Indiana (13-10, 0-3)
Saturday, March 25 | 12 p.m. | Uytengsu Aquatics Center
Series Record (since 1997): USC leads 16-0
Last Meeting: USC 16, IU 7 (Feb. 4, 2023)
TV: Pac-12 Networks (Announcer: Greg Mescall)
STREAM | STATS
THIS WEEK
No. 2 USC is back in home waters this week for its first action at Uytengsu Aquatics Center since February 18. The Trojans (19-1, 1-0 MPSF) host Indiana (13-10, 0-3) in an MPSF matchup at 12 p.m. on Saturday (March 25).
FOLLOW ALONG
This weekend's USC-Indiana clash will be televised on Pac-12 Networks, with Greg Mescall on the call. Subscribers can access the live stream at pac12.me/WWP-IND-USC. Live stats can be found at scores.6-8sports.com.
RANKINGS
USC picked up the No. 2 ranking in the nation to open 2023, mirroring the Trojans' 2022 finish. As of the latest round of national rankings (released March 22), USC still sits at No. 2 in the land.
LAST ACTION
USC spent Spring Break in Honolulu for a training trip that included two nonconference clashes. The Trojans scored wins in both tests, bringing home a 19-1 overall record for their efforts at Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex.
#2 USC 16, #5 Hawai'i 7
USC poured out 10 goals in the second half and gave up just a single goal in the fourth to anchor the road win at Hawai'i. It was a tight battle out of the gates as defense was the early name of the game. Tilly Kearns and Alejandra Aznar tallied the Trojans' first goals of the night before Hawai'i fired back, and it was a 2-1 margin after eight minutes of action. A Rainbow Wahine 5-meter penalty shot had things even at 2-2 early in the second, but USC answered with back-to-back goals to take back the lead. Later, Grace Tehaney delivered a crosscage rocket followed by a Kearns steal that led to a Maggie Johnson goal, and it was 6-3 USC for halftime. Offense opened up on both ends in the third, but USC was still on a solid path. Mireia Guiral rattled in two goals in that frame while Julia Janov joined the scoresheet and Tehaney and Bayley Weber each tallied their second strikes of the night in carrying USC ahead 11-6 entering the fourth. USC would control both ends of the pool in those final eight minutes, tacking up five more goals from five different players while giving up just one to the Rainbow Wahine in wrapping up a final 16-7 victory.
#2 USC 16, #24 San Diego State 7
The Trojans got a career-high 10 saves from freshman goalie Jada Ward to help lock in the win, while Bayley Weber, Grace Tehaney and Fanni Muzsnay each tallied hat tricks for the Trojan cause. USC opened up a 5-0 lead on the Aztecs with a pair of goals apiece from Tilly Kearns and Bayley Weber to go with a blast from Alejandra Aznar. San Diego State cracked the USC defense and goalie Jada Ward just once in the first half while the Trojans poured on 11 goals. Grace Tehaney and Weber both had hat tricks in place by halftime as USC led it 11-1 at the break. In the third period, Claire Haas and Emma Lawson each tallied their first goals of the day, and Fanni Muzsnay delivered her second to help USC lead it 14-4 entering the fourth. Muzsnay made it three with a strike in the final frame, and Christina Crum would wrap up USC's offensive attack with a 5-meter penalty shot that helped put the finishing touches on a 16-7 win by the Trojans over the Aztecs.
NOTABLES:
- USC's win over Hawai'i was its 28th straight over the Rainbow Wahine and 50th in the all-time record between the programs since 1997.
- USC's shutout of SDSU in the second period marked the 14th time this season that the Trojans have kept an opponent scoreless during a full period of regulation play.
- Goalie Jada Ward recorded a career-high 10 saves vs. SDSU.
- With three goals vs. Hawai'i and vs. SDSU, Bayley Weber continues to lead the team in multiple-goal games, now with 15 this season.
- With their efforts in Honolulu, Weber and Tilly Kearns lead the team with goals in 18 games this season.
- USC's win over San Diego State was its 41st straight over the Aztecs.
BY THE NUMBERS
Now 20 games deep into 2023, USC's balanced scoring charge is led by Bayley Weber with 50 goals, followed by Tilly Kearns with 42, Alejandra Aznar with 27 and Paige Hauschild and Grace Tehaney with 25 apiece. In all, 23 Trojans have scored at least one goal to date, including eight with their first goals as Trojans. Defensively, all four USC goalies have factored into the 19-1 start, led by senior Carolyne Stern. Stern is averaging 9.6 saves per game thanks in part to a career-high 16 saves made against Long Beach State on Jan. 28 — one of five double-digit saves outings by Stern so far this season. USC's other three goalies — Laine Hourigan, Sofia Stein and Jada Ward — are in their first season of action as Trojans. Overall, the group averages 10.1 saves per game to anchor a Trojan defense giving up just 7.0 goals per game. USC has outscored opponents 340-139 so far, while holding teams scoreless in 14 different periods to date, including a powerful second-half shutout of No. 6 UC Irvine on Feb. 18.
ON THE RISE
Redshirt seniors Paige Hauschild and Bayley Weber are neck-and-neck as they climb USC's all-time scoring ladder. Weber recently captured the No. 10 spot with her 193 career goals, just ahead of No. 11 Hauschild with 189 to date. Several more veteran Trojans are also on the climb. Grace Tehaney sits at No. 16 with 148 to her name. Meanwhile, Tilly Kearns, who joined the 100-goal club at USC earlier this season, now holds 135 goals as a Trojan to stand on the brink of the top-20 zone. Mireia Guiral also is on the rise with 114 career goals. On the defensive end, senior goalie Carolyne Stern has taken over at No. 8 all-time among USC goalies with her 323 career saves.
GRACE GRABS MPSF HONORS
USC redshirt senior Grace Tehaney earned her first selection as MPSF Player of the Week after scoring five goals across two USC victories in Honolulu. Against No. 5 host Hawai'i, Tehaney tallied two goals and added an assist in USC's 16-7 win over the Rainbow Wahine. Two days later, the lefty was 3-for-3 on the attack to record a hat trick while also nabbing two steals in a 16-7 win over San Diego State to improve USC's overall record to 19-1. With 25 goals scored so far this season, Tehaney has climbed to rank No. 16 all-time in scoring at USC with 148 career goals. She is the third Trojan to win the MPSF's weekly award this season, following selections by Tilly Kearns and Bayley Weber.
MORE WAVES FROM WEBER
Bayley Weber was a driving force in a key MPSF road win in Berkeley. For her all-around efforts to help the Trojans top No. 3 California, Weber was named MPSF Player of the Week on March 14. Weber was USC's top scorer with four goals in the Trojans' 15-14 overtime win at Cal. Weber also drew three exclusions and had one assist, one field block and a steal in the key conference victory. With her efforts in the Trojan win, Weber leads the team with 13 multiple-goal outings this season. She is tied for the team lead with goals scored in 16 of USC's 18 games this season. This is Weber's second MPSF Player of the Week selection this season and the fourth of her USC career.
HATS OFF TO THE CAPTAINS
USC's 2023 captains are a decorated pair. Both 2020 Olympians, Paige Haushild and Tilly Kearns are the experienced backbone of the Trojan roster once again. Kearns finished the 2022 season at the top of the scoring leaderboard with 64 goals – 10th most scored in a single season in program history – and as a Peter J. Cutino Award finalist. The Aussie Olympian earned spots on the 2022 NCAA All-Tournament First Team, the MPSF All-Tournament Team and All-MPSF First Team for her work at two-meters. Olympic gold medalist Hauschild collected 47 goals of her own last season while applying pressure on both sides of the pool. Hauschild was a freshman when USC won the NCAA Championship in 2018, although both she and Kearns were away training with their respective Olympic teams when the Trojans last won it all in 2021. Hauschild and Kearns are two of seven returning All-Americans on the 2023 USC roster, alongside Alejandra Aznar, Mireia Guiral, Carolyne Stern, Grace Tehaney and Bayley Weber.
MORE VETS
In all, USC returns 13 members of its 16-member roster from the 2022 NCAA Tournament. In addition to its seven All-Americans, experienced depth returns in the form of seniors Téa Poljak, Claire Haas, Brooklyn Aguilera and Christina Crum, along with junior Julia Janov and sophomores Honnie Vandeweghe-O'Shea and Isabel Zimmerman..
YOUNG GUNS
USC's newest additions come from an array of the best talent in the world, including U.S. pipeline members Morgan Netherton and Maggie Johnson. The Trojans also have added Fresno State transfer Fanni Muzsnay, who also has international experience as a member of the Hungarian National Team. Freshman Alex Bonaguidi is tabbed for duty at center, joined by redshirt sophomore Hannah Meyer, who sat out last season due to injury.
LAST SEASON
In 2022, USC posted a 20-4 overall record while making an 18th straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Trojans went a perfect 6-0 in MPSF competition before taking second in the MPSF Tournament and reaching a fourth consecutive NCAA final. USC had beaten Fresno State 15-9 in the quarterfinals and then topped Cal 9-7 in the semis to face Stanford in the title match, falling 10-7 to the Cardinal. At the close of the season, Tilly Kearns was selected as a finalist for the Peter J. Cutino Award and was a First Team All-American along with Paige Hauschild. They were joined by fellow All-Americans Bayley Weber (Second Team), Carolyne Stern (Third Team), Mireia Guiral (Honorable Mention) and Grace Tehaney (Honorable Mention). Head coach Marko Pintaric was named MPSF Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. •
Saturday, March 25 | 12 p.m. | Uytengsu Aquatics Center
Series Record (since 1997): USC leads 16-0
Last Meeting: USC 16, IU 7 (Feb. 4, 2023)
TV: Pac-12 Networks (Announcer: Greg Mescall)
STREAM | STATS
THIS WEEK
No. 2 USC is back in home waters this week for its first action at Uytengsu Aquatics Center since February 18. The Trojans (19-1, 1-0 MPSF) host Indiana (13-10, 0-3) in an MPSF matchup at 12 p.m. on Saturday (March 25).
FOLLOW ALONG
This weekend's USC-Indiana clash will be televised on Pac-12 Networks, with Greg Mescall on the call. Subscribers can access the live stream at pac12.me/WWP-IND-USC. Live stats can be found at scores.6-8sports.com.
RANKINGS
USC picked up the No. 2 ranking in the nation to open 2023, mirroring the Trojans' 2022 finish. As of the latest round of national rankings (released March 22), USC still sits at No. 2 in the land.
LAST ACTION
USC spent Spring Break in Honolulu for a training trip that included two nonconference clashes. The Trojans scored wins in both tests, bringing home a 19-1 overall record for their efforts at Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex.
#2 USC 16, #5 Hawai'i 7
USC poured out 10 goals in the second half and gave up just a single goal in the fourth to anchor the road win at Hawai'i. It was a tight battle out of the gates as defense was the early name of the game. Tilly Kearns and Alejandra Aznar tallied the Trojans' first goals of the night before Hawai'i fired back, and it was a 2-1 margin after eight minutes of action. A Rainbow Wahine 5-meter penalty shot had things even at 2-2 early in the second, but USC answered with back-to-back goals to take back the lead. Later, Grace Tehaney delivered a crosscage rocket followed by a Kearns steal that led to a Maggie Johnson goal, and it was 6-3 USC for halftime. Offense opened up on both ends in the third, but USC was still on a solid path. Mireia Guiral rattled in two goals in that frame while Julia Janov joined the scoresheet and Tehaney and Bayley Weber each tallied their second strikes of the night in carrying USC ahead 11-6 entering the fourth. USC would control both ends of the pool in those final eight minutes, tacking up five more goals from five different players while giving up just one to the Rainbow Wahine in wrapping up a final 16-7 victory.
#2 USC 16, #24 San Diego State 7
The Trojans got a career-high 10 saves from freshman goalie Jada Ward to help lock in the win, while Bayley Weber, Grace Tehaney and Fanni Muzsnay each tallied hat tricks for the Trojan cause. USC opened up a 5-0 lead on the Aztecs with a pair of goals apiece from Tilly Kearns and Bayley Weber to go with a blast from Alejandra Aznar. San Diego State cracked the USC defense and goalie Jada Ward just once in the first half while the Trojans poured on 11 goals. Grace Tehaney and Weber both had hat tricks in place by halftime as USC led it 11-1 at the break. In the third period, Claire Haas and Emma Lawson each tallied their first goals of the day, and Fanni Muzsnay delivered her second to help USC lead it 14-4 entering the fourth. Muzsnay made it three with a strike in the final frame, and Christina Crum would wrap up USC's offensive attack with a 5-meter penalty shot that helped put the finishing touches on a 16-7 win by the Trojans over the Aztecs.
NOTABLES:
- USC's win over Hawai'i was its 28th straight over the Rainbow Wahine and 50th in the all-time record between the programs since 1997.
- USC's shutout of SDSU in the second period marked the 14th time this season that the Trojans have kept an opponent scoreless during a full period of regulation play.
- Goalie Jada Ward recorded a career-high 10 saves vs. SDSU.
- With three goals vs. Hawai'i and vs. SDSU, Bayley Weber continues to lead the team in multiple-goal games, now with 15 this season.
- With their efforts in Honolulu, Weber and Tilly Kearns lead the team with goals in 18 games this season.
- USC's win over San Diego State was its 41st straight over the Aztecs.
BY THE NUMBERS
Now 20 games deep into 2023, USC's balanced scoring charge is led by Bayley Weber with 50 goals, followed by Tilly Kearns with 42, Alejandra Aznar with 27 and Paige Hauschild and Grace Tehaney with 25 apiece. In all, 23 Trojans have scored at least one goal to date, including eight with their first goals as Trojans. Defensively, all four USC goalies have factored into the 19-1 start, led by senior Carolyne Stern. Stern is averaging 9.6 saves per game thanks in part to a career-high 16 saves made against Long Beach State on Jan. 28 — one of five double-digit saves outings by Stern so far this season. USC's other three goalies — Laine Hourigan, Sofia Stein and Jada Ward — are in their first season of action as Trojans. Overall, the group averages 10.1 saves per game to anchor a Trojan defense giving up just 7.0 goals per game. USC has outscored opponents 340-139 so far, while holding teams scoreless in 14 different periods to date, including a powerful second-half shutout of No. 6 UC Irvine on Feb. 18.
ON THE RISE
Redshirt seniors Paige Hauschild and Bayley Weber are neck-and-neck as they climb USC's all-time scoring ladder. Weber recently captured the No. 10 spot with her 193 career goals, just ahead of No. 11 Hauschild with 189 to date. Several more veteran Trojans are also on the climb. Grace Tehaney sits at No. 16 with 148 to her name. Meanwhile, Tilly Kearns, who joined the 100-goal club at USC earlier this season, now holds 135 goals as a Trojan to stand on the brink of the top-20 zone. Mireia Guiral also is on the rise with 114 career goals. On the defensive end, senior goalie Carolyne Stern has taken over at No. 8 all-time among USC goalies with her 323 career saves.
GRACE GRABS MPSF HONORS
USC redshirt senior Grace Tehaney earned her first selection as MPSF Player of the Week after scoring five goals across two USC victories in Honolulu. Against No. 5 host Hawai'i, Tehaney tallied two goals and added an assist in USC's 16-7 win over the Rainbow Wahine. Two days later, the lefty was 3-for-3 on the attack to record a hat trick while also nabbing two steals in a 16-7 win over San Diego State to improve USC's overall record to 19-1. With 25 goals scored so far this season, Tehaney has climbed to rank No. 16 all-time in scoring at USC with 148 career goals. She is the third Trojan to win the MPSF's weekly award this season, following selections by Tilly Kearns and Bayley Weber.
MORE WAVES FROM WEBER
Bayley Weber was a driving force in a key MPSF road win in Berkeley. For her all-around efforts to help the Trojans top No. 3 California, Weber was named MPSF Player of the Week on March 14. Weber was USC's top scorer with four goals in the Trojans' 15-14 overtime win at Cal. Weber also drew three exclusions and had one assist, one field block and a steal in the key conference victory. With her efforts in the Trojan win, Weber leads the team with 13 multiple-goal outings this season. She is tied for the team lead with goals scored in 16 of USC's 18 games this season. This is Weber's second MPSF Player of the Week selection this season and the fourth of her USC career.
HATS OFF TO THE CAPTAINS
USC's 2023 captains are a decorated pair. Both 2020 Olympians, Paige Haushild and Tilly Kearns are the experienced backbone of the Trojan roster once again. Kearns finished the 2022 season at the top of the scoring leaderboard with 64 goals – 10th most scored in a single season in program history – and as a Peter J. Cutino Award finalist. The Aussie Olympian earned spots on the 2022 NCAA All-Tournament First Team, the MPSF All-Tournament Team and All-MPSF First Team for her work at two-meters. Olympic gold medalist Hauschild collected 47 goals of her own last season while applying pressure on both sides of the pool. Hauschild was a freshman when USC won the NCAA Championship in 2018, although both she and Kearns were away training with their respective Olympic teams when the Trojans last won it all in 2021. Hauschild and Kearns are two of seven returning All-Americans on the 2023 USC roster, alongside Alejandra Aznar, Mireia Guiral, Carolyne Stern, Grace Tehaney and Bayley Weber.
MORE VETS
In all, USC returns 13 members of its 16-member roster from the 2022 NCAA Tournament. In addition to its seven All-Americans, experienced depth returns in the form of seniors Téa Poljak, Claire Haas, Brooklyn Aguilera and Christina Crum, along with junior Julia Janov and sophomores Honnie Vandeweghe-O'Shea and Isabel Zimmerman..
YOUNG GUNS
USC's newest additions come from an array of the best talent in the world, including U.S. pipeline members Morgan Netherton and Maggie Johnson. The Trojans also have added Fresno State transfer Fanni Muzsnay, who also has international experience as a member of the Hungarian National Team. Freshman Alex Bonaguidi is tabbed for duty at center, joined by redshirt sophomore Hannah Meyer, who sat out last season due to injury.
LAST SEASON
In 2022, USC posted a 20-4 overall record while making an 18th straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Trojans went a perfect 6-0 in MPSF competition before taking second in the MPSF Tournament and reaching a fourth consecutive NCAA final. USC had beaten Fresno State 15-9 in the quarterfinals and then topped Cal 9-7 in the semis to face Stanford in the title match, falling 10-7 to the Cardinal. At the close of the season, Tilly Kearns was selected as a finalist for the Peter J. Cutino Award and was a First Team All-American along with Paige Hauschild. They were joined by fellow All-Americans Bayley Weber (Second Team), Carolyne Stern (Third Team), Mireia Guiral (Honorable Mention) and Grace Tehaney (Honorable Mention). Head coach Marko Pintaric was named MPSF Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. •
USC Water Polo's Emily Ausmus | Trojans Live 3.24.25
Monday, March 24
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Friday, May 10
Julia Janov - 2024 NCAA Women's Water Polo Banquet speech
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Women's Water Polo - Stanford 12, USC 11: Highlights (4/28/24)
Sunday, April 28
