Verica Bakoc Scores Seven To Carry USC Women’s Water Polo To 12-9 Win At Cal

BERKELEY, CALIF. — The No. 1 USC women’s water polo team created some space late in the game to beat No. 6 California 12-9 today in Berkeley in the second straight MPSF battle between the two teams. Verica Bakoc shouldered the scoring load for the Trojans, punching up a career-high seven goal — third most in a single game by a Trojan — to keep USC on track to victory. USC stays undefeated on the year with the win, going to 8-0 overall and to 2-0 in MPSF play.

A tight first half saw the score tied four times as Cal kept reeling in the Trojans, who led by two on a goal from Maud Megens to start the second before Cal crept right back. It was tangled up at 6-6 by halftime when the Bears converted on a 5-meter penalty shot. Cal took its first lead with a goal to open the second half, only to see the Trojans rattle off three straight scores. Bakoc knocked in two of those, with Kelsey McIntosh striking as well to move ahead 9-7. It was a one-goal game entering the fourth, prompting Bakoc to pour out three more goals for the Trojan cause while Cal managed just one as USC topped off a 12-9 win with Bakoc’s seventh of the day.

Next up for the Trojans is an MPSF home stand against San José State next weekend. On Saturday (March 27), USC and the Spartans face off at 1 p.m., and on Sunday  (March 28) the two squads square off at 11 a.m. — all at USC’s Uytengsu Aquatics Center.

USC   4 – 2 – 3 – 3  = 12

CAL   3 – 3 – 2 – 1 = 9

USC — Verica Bakoc 7, Maud Megens, Grace Tehaney, Mireia Guiral, Bayley Weber, Kelsey McIntosh.

CAL — Brigit Mulder 4, Claire Sonne, Cecily Turner, Grace Raisin, Maryn Dempsey, Reagan Whitney.

Courtesy: Cal Athletics

BERKELEY – Senior All-American Brigit Mulder scored four goals and the No. 6 Cal women’s water polo team handed No. 1 USC its first second-half deficit of the season, but the Trojans ultimately prevailed 12-9 in an MPSF showdown at Spieker Aquatics Complex on Sunday.

A day after falling behind early in a 17-11 loss to USC, the Bears (5-4, 0-4 MPSF) stayed even with the Trojans throughout most of the contest. The score was tied at 6-6 at halftime and USC led 9-8 at the end of the third quarter. But after Mulder’s final score of the day brought Cal to within one with 1:10 left in the third quarter, the Bears didn’t score again until there was less than a minute to play in the game to cut the Trojans’ lead to 11-9. USC added a goal with one second left to finish out the scoring.