Courtesy: USC Athletics
SAN JOSÉ, CALIF. — The No. 3 USC women’s water polo team scooped up a solid MPSF win today, topping No. 17 San José State 14-8 behind 10 Trojans on the scoresheet. Goalie Carolyne Stern collected nine saves on the day to move up to rank No. 4 all-time in career saves at USC, helping her Trojans improve to 16-5 overall and to 3-1 in MPSF action.
The USC defense pitched a first-frame shutout while building out an early 3-0 lead on scores from Rachel Gazzaniga, Ava Stryker and Abigail Hendrix. Gazzaniga kicked off the second period with a two-meter finish off a feed from Julia Janov, tugging the Trojans shred 4-0 before the Spartans got on the board a minute later. Maggie Johnson found Hannah Meyer for a tip-in goal that had USC up 5-1, although the Spartans would get two goals through before halftime to make it a 5-3 margin.
USC made its power move in the third, with Alejandra Aznar faking and firing, then assisting on a zinger from Meyer as USC moved ahead 7-3. San José State struck next, only to see the Trojans fire off a four-goal rally to take total control of things. Morgan Netherton fizzed in a 5-meter penalty shot earned by Gazzaniga, and the Aznar delivered her second goal of the day. With Alex Bonaguidi doing work at set, USC finished off a pair of 6-on-5 opportunities next. Brooklyn Aguilera dished to Isabel Zimmerman for a ripper that had USC ahead 10-4, and then Zimmerman found Bonaguidi for a blast that pushed it to an 11-4 USC advantage. With her nine saves in the books, Stern gave way to Laine Hourigan in the goal for the final frame. Stryker struck again to open the fourth, and two new Trojan scorers would get to the back of the net before the final buzzer. Aguilera finished off a feed from Jelena Sarac to make it 13-6, and Janov had the last word of the day with a strike from distance to top off the Trojans’ 14-8 victory.
NEXT:
USC continues on its road run next week with a visit to Arizona State, taking on the Sun Devils at 1 p.m. on Saturday (April 13) in Tempe, Ariz.
NOTABLE:
– With two goals, FR Ava Stryker has now scored in USC’s last 15 games.
– Stryker leads USC in scoring this season with 42 goals.
– With two goals today, FR Rachel Gazzaniga is now even with SR Julia Janov with a team-high 14 multiple-goal outings this season.
– With their goals today, Stryker and Janov have now each scored in a team-high 19 games this season.
– With nine saves today, SR Carolyne Stern now ranks No. 4 all-time at USC with 540 career saves.
– With two goals today, SR Alejandra Aznar is now tied at No. 22 all-time at USC in scoring with 135 career goals.
– USC is now 44-0 all-time against San José State.
#3 USC 14, #17 San José State 8
April 67 2024 | San José, Calif.
USC 3 – 2 – 6 – 3 = 14
SJSU 0 – 3 – 2 – 3 = 8
SCORING:
USC — Rachel Gazzaniga 2, Ava Stryker 2, Hannah Meyer 2, Alejandra Aznar 2, Abigail Hendrix, Morgan Netherton, Isabel Zimmerman, Alex Bonaguidi, Brooklyn Aguilera, Julia Janov.
SJSU — Darcy Spark 4, Sinia Plotz 3, Lucy Miszewski.
SAVES: Carolyne Stern (USC) 9 [3 periods], Laine Hourigan (USC) 1 [4th period], Zsofia Hadju (SJSU) 7.