Women's Water Polo | March 16, 2019

HONOLULU, HAWAI'I — The No. 1 USC women's water polo team made a strong statement in turning a tight game into a decisive Trojan victory on the road. USC shut down No. 5 host in the second period, silencing the Rainbow Wahine for a full 14 minutes while the Trojans peeled out ahead. Behind five goals from Maud Megens and nine saves from Amanda Longan, USC pinned up a key 12-8 final victory over Hawai'i to keep USC's undefeated season very much alive. The Trojans are now 20-0 overall on the year and are riding a 36-game win streak that dates back to last year's NCAA Championship run,

Hawai'i struck first with a blast out of set, but USC shrugged off the early deficit and fired back with three straight scores to get into the lead. Paige Hauschild locked things up with a counterattack finish, and then Grace Tehaney laced in the go-ahead goal less than a minute later. A Tehaney takeaway led to USC's next blast — another Hauschild ripper to make it 3-1 Trojans at 2:20 in the first. The hosts got a lucky bounce and was there for a putaway at the post off the rebound, and it was 3-2 at the end of the first. In the next stretch, USC made its statement. The Trojans poured out seven straight goals — pitching a shutout in the second period — as Maud Megens rattled the back of the net five times during the Trojan rally. Freshman Alejandra Aznar plugged in her first during the surge, with fellow freshman Tilly Kearns also punching up a goal to help carry USC to a 10-2 lead with 2:28 on the clock in the third. Hawai'i would stop the run, but Kearns nabbed a steal and hit fellow freshman Mireia Guiral for the finish to take the Trojans ahead 11-3. The hosts got a skip to go in the final minute, and it was 11-4 USC entering the fourth. There, Hawai'i was able to break through for four goals while Aznar hammered in her second goal of the night to help round things out as a final 12-8 USC victory. 

USC now returns home to prep for an MPSF matchup against Stanford in two weeks' time. The Trojans will host the Cardinal on March 30 at 2 p.m. at Uytengsu Aquatics Center.

#1 USC 12, #5 Hawai'i 8
March 16, 2019 | Duke Kahanamoka Aquatic Center (Honolulu, Calif.)
USC  3 - 4 - 4 - 1 = 12
UH    2 - 0 - 2 - 4 = 8

SCORING:
USC — Maud Megens 5, Paige Hauschild 2, Alejandra Aznar 2, Grace Tehaney, Tilly Kearns, Mireia Guiral.
UH — Irene Gonzalez 3, Elyse Lemay-Lavoie 2, Samantha Malouf, Maxine Schaap, Alba Bonamusa Boix.

SAVES: Amanda Longan (USC) 9, Bridget Layburn (UH) 8.