No. 2 USC Women’s Water Polo Drops MPSF Semifinal to No. 3 Stanford

Saturday, April 26

Westwood, Calif.

2:30 p.m.

USC

27-3

Stanford

21-1

Stanford

Southern California

Photo by: John McGillen

No. 2 USC Women’s Water Polo Drops MPSF Semifinal to No. 3 Stanford

April 26, 2025 | Women's Water Polo

Box Score

Trojans head to the MPSF third-place game after an 11-7 loss to the Cardinal in Westwood.

WESTWOOD, CALIF. – Freshman Emily Ausmus broke the USC women's water polo all-time single-season scoring record during today's MPSF semifinal bout against Stanford, although the Trojans were unable to get a leg up on the No. 3 seeded Cardinal in a 11-7 loss. Now 27-3 overall, USC moves into the third-place game tomorrow against No. 4 Cal at UCLA's Spieker Aquatics Center.

The Cardinal opened scoring early in the first, which Emily Ausmus answered with a 6-on-5 conversion. Stanford's offensive momentum would pick up, with three straight goals to go up 4-1. Morgan Netherton was able to find a late goal for the Trojans, making a move and finishing to make it a 5-2 margin after eight minutes of action. Ava Stryker added her name to the scoresheet to open the second with a slingshot from the outside. An Ausmus penalty conversion helped, but it was USC's defense — including steals from Rachel Gazzaniga and Ausmus and two huge 6-on-5 saves from Anna Reed — that allowed the Trojans to get within one at 5-4 with 4:14 on the clock. Stanford was able to strike once again with just over a minute left, and the score was 6-4 at halftime.

Stanford came alive again offensively, scoring the first two goals of the third quarter. Netherton and Ausmus answered back with one apiece, each converting on man-up opportunities to inch closer and get it to a two-goal margin at 8-6 with 1:40 left the third. The Cardinal kept USC scoreless for the next seven minutes, however, adding two more goals to its cache to build an 11-6 advantage. Ausmus collected her record-breaking fourth of the day on a 6-on-5, but the Trojans were unable to lessen the gap after another Stanford goal, leaving the final score at 11-7.

NEXT:
USC will play for third place in the MPSF Tournament tomorrow (April 27) at 12:45 p.m. against No. 4 seed Cal at 12:45 p.m. tomorrow (April 27) at UCLA's Spieker Aquatics Center.

NOTABLE:
- With her fourth goal of the game, FR Emily Ausmus broke the USC single-season scoring record, now with 105 goals scored this year.
- The previous scoring record was set by Sofia Konoukh in 2001 with 104 goals that season.
- Ausmus has scored in all 30 games this season, and has recorded multiple-goal games in 29 of USC's 30 games this season.
- With one goal today, SO Ava Stryker has scored in 29 of USC's 30 games this season.

2025 MPSF TOURNAMENT

SEMIFINALS
#3 Stanford 11, #2 USC 7
Saturday, April 26 | Spieker Aquatics Center (Westwood, Calif.)
USC 2 - 2 - 2 - 1 = 7
STAN 5 - 1 - 3 - 2 = 11

SCORING:
USC — Emily Ausmus 4, Morgan Netherton 2, Ava Stryker.
STAN — Juliette Dhalluin 4, Ryann Neushul 2, Jewel Roemer 2, Serena Browne, Sophia Sanders, Ella Woodhead.

SAVES: Anna Reed (USC) 7, Christine Carpenter (STAN) 9.