Courtesy: USC Athletics
BERKELEY, CALIF. – The No. 2 USC women’s water polo came back from a first-period deficit to defeat No. 5 Cal 13-9 in Berkeley today behind a five-goal explosion from junior Morgan Netherton. With their second MPSF conference win of the season, the Trojans move to 22-1 on the season.
It was a defensive-oriented affair early on, with six steals across both squads in the first quarter. The Golden Bears opened scoring with back-to-back goals before Ava Stryker answered with a man-up conversion for USC. Cal would grab another score with 30 seconds left, but on the next drive, Meghan McAninch added her own goal with a bar-in blast to get USC within one at 3-2. Emily Ausmus and Netherton collected their first goals to open the second, after which the Bears brought the score to even on the power play. A Jada Ward block-to-assist feed to Tilly Kearns took the Trojans into the lead once again on the counterattack. USC’s offensive energy continued to the end of the half, with Netherton tallying her second and Alma Yaacobi turning in from set to bring the score to 7-4 for halftime.
Ward’s three straight saves and an Ausmus field block kept Cal scoreless until 10 seconds remained in the third. In the meantime, Ausmus added a 5-meter penalty shot and Netherton hit her hat trick on a 6-on-5 finish. The Bears’ own 5-meter penalty conversion brought the score to 9-5 going into the fourth frame, but USC stayed in control from there. Netherton collected two more to record her new career high, while Ausmus and Yaacobi added their own man-up and penalty goals to the scoresheet, respectively, to bring the final up to 13-9.
NEXT:
USC now returns home to Uytengsu Aquatics Center to set up for a nonconference clash against Brown at 1 p.m. on Sunday (March 23).
NOTABLE:
– With five goals scored today, JR Morgan Netherton set a new career high.
– With 10 saves today, JR Jada Ward recorded her fourth double-digit save outing of the season.
– With three goals scored today, FR Emily Ausmus now has 78 goals scored this season – the fifth most single-season goals by a Trojan.
– Ausmus has now recorded multiple-goal games in 22 of USC’s 23 games this season.
– Ausmus has scored three or more goals in 16 different games this season.
– With goals today, Ausmus and SO Ava Stryker have scored in all 23 games this season.
#2 USC 13, #5 California 9
Saturday, March 22 | Legends Aquatic Center (Berkeley, Calif.)
USC 2 – 5 – 2 – 4 = 13
CAL 3 – 1 – 1 – 4 = 9
SCORING:
USC — Morgan Netherton 5, Emily Ausmus 3, Alma Yaacobi 2, Tilly Kearns, Meghan McAninch, Ava Stryker.
CAL — Julia Bonaguidi 3, Elena Flynn 2, Ruby Swadling 2, Abbi Magee, Rozanne Voorvelt.
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SAVES: Jada Ward (USC) 10, Talia Fonseca (CAL) 5.