No. 3 Seed USC Women’s Water Polo Scores Seven Straight To Secure Spot In NCAA Final WIth 15-13 Win Over UCLA

Saturday, May 10

Indianapolis, Ind.

11:00 a.m. PT

USC

29-4

UCLA

20-6

Southern California

UCLA

Photo by: Nicole Hourigan

No. 3 Seed USC Women’s Water Polo Scores Seven Straight To Secure Spot In NCAA Final WIth 15-13 Win Over UCLA

May 10, 2025 | Women's Water Polo

Box Score NCAA BRACKET

Trojans take on top-seeded Stanford tomorrow at 12 p.m. ET to fight for the 2025 national title.

INDIANAPOLIS — The No. 3 seed USC women's water polo team erupted with a seven-goal surge to take over today's NCAA semifinal bout against No. 2 seed UCLA, turning a three-goal hole into a commanding advantage that gave the Trojans the edge for a final 15-13 win over the Bruins at IU Natatorium in Indianapolis. USC now moves into the national championship game tomorrow (May 11) against top-seeded Stanford, as the Trojans are looking for their eighth national championship in their 21st straight NCAA journey. USC is now 29-4 overall this season.

𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐉𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋!
USC beats the Bruins in the NCAA semis in Indy!#FightOn ✌️ 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝙇𝘼𝗖𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗘. pic.twitter.com/MudymzVm6K
— USC Water Polo (@USCWaterPolo) May 10, 2025

USC and UCLA traded goals as the Bruins edged ahead 2-1 early on. USC found a spark from Emily Ausmus off a feed from Sinia Plotz to level it, and then Rachel Gazzaniga came up with a steal that sent USC on an attack. Alma Yaacobi drew the exclusion for the Trojans to set up for a 6-on-5, in which Ava Knepper crossed to Gazzaniga for a blast that bumped USC into the lead, up 3-2 at 2:37. The Bruins struck back with an equalizer on their next possession, only to see Tilly Kearns get to work in set. Kearns got USC up on the power play, then finished off a feed from Maggie Johnson to nudge the Trojans back on top with a 4-3 advantage at 2:00. Moments later, however, UCLA was awarded a 6-on-5 and converted for another tie, and it would stay at 4-4 for the close of the first. The referee whistles set up the Bruins for four power plays in the first five minutes of the second as UCLA moved out to a 7-4 lead thanks to a series of 6-on-5s. Kearns would trim that down for the Trojans, ripping a backhand and then hammering one home off a power play she earned herself. That had the Trojans one back at halftime, down 7-6 at the break after enduring six exclusions and a penalty called against them in the second period.

The Trojans turned the tide with an onslaught in the third. Kearns' two goals that had closed the first half proved a wind in USC's sails, as Ava Stryker opened the third with a blast on a Trojan power play. Maggie Johnson found Gazzaniga on a counter after helping to snuff a Bruin possession on the other end. That ripper from Gazzinaga pushed the Trojans to their first lead since the first quarter, up 8-7 with 5:31 on the clock. Cue Kearns again. She'd punch up a 5-meter penalty goal earned by Ausmus, then finished off a 6-on-5 soon after to get USC ahead 10-7 at 3:54. A Gazzaniga steal sent USC on the attack again, and Stryker hit Morgan Netherton for that fine finish and an 11-7 USC advantage 20 seconds later. UCLA broke up the Trojan rally, but that would be all the Bruins would get, as USC popped off two more — a Gazzaniga dunk at the post and a Johnson fake-and-fire for a 13-8 USC lead entering the fourth.

Kearns was all business on the defensive end out of the gates of that final frame, and she'd get the assist on a too-hot-to-handle score from Meghan McAninch to build a 14-8 USC lead with 6:16 remaining. The Bruins made a push, carving the USC lead down to 14-11 before Stryker issued a bar-in blast to tug the Trojans ahead 15-11. UCLA would look for 7-on-6 advantages in order to cut in further, although USC goalie Anna Reed pinned up back-to-back stops before a booming Kearns field block. UCLA got it to 15-12 and then made the most of a last-gasp 6-on-4 advantage to bring the final score to a 15-13 USC victory.

NEXT:
USC will face Stanford in the NCAA championship game tomorrow at 12 p.m. ET at IU Natatorium in Indianapolis, Ind. The game will be televised on ESPNU and streamed on ESPN+.

NOTABLE:
- With five goals today, SR Tilly Kearns has scored 99 goals this season, ranking fourth in single-season scoring at USC — one away from tying the No. 3 all-time mark.
- With a goal today, FR Emily Ausmus has scored in all 33 games this season.
- Ausmus also has extended her USC single-season scoring record to 113.
- With two goals today, SO Ava Stryker has scored 71 goals this season — ninth most in a single season by a Trojan.
- Stryker now has scored 120 career goals — ranking her No. 30 all-time in scoring at USC.
- With nine saves today, RS FR goalie Anna Reed tied her career high.
- USC is now 43-15 all-time in NCAA Tournament competition in its 21 appearances.
- USC will play in the NCAA final for the 14th time in program history.
- USC enters this 2025 title game with a 6-7 record in NCAA finals.
- USC is looking for its eighth national championship, having won six prior NCAA titles along with the 1999 national championship before the NCAA sponsored women's water polo.

2025 NCAA TOURNAMENT

SEMIFINAL
[3] USC 15, [2] UCLA 13
May 10, 2025 | IU Natatorium (Indianapolis, Ind.)
USC 4 - 2 - 7 - 2 = 15
UCLA 4 - 3 - 1 - 5 = 13

SCORING:
USC — Tilly Kearns 5, Rachel Gazzaniga 3, Ava Stryker 2, Emily Ausmus, Sinia Plotz, Morgan Netherton, Maggie Johnson, Meghan McAninch.
UCLA — Emma Lineback 5, Bia Mantellato 2, Molly Renner 2, Cayla McMurray, Anna Pearson, Tali Stryker, Lauren Steele.

SAVES: Anna Reed (USC) 9, Lauren Steele (UCLA) 9.