Top-ranked water polo extends win streak


Tensions were high at the Uytengsu Aquatic Center Saturday afternoon with the clash of crosstown rivals, No. 1 and No. 2 in the country, as USC and UCLA battled for the No. 1 spot in MPSF women’s water polo. The No. 1 Trojans took on a double-header playing UCLA at 1 p.m. followed by Redlands at 2:30 p.m. The Women of Troy emerged from the waters as the still-No. 1 ranked team, taking their record to 19-0 overall, 4-0 in MPSF.

To start the day of action, junior driver Ioanna Haralabidis fired away the Trojan’s first goal against UCLA. The Bruins then answered back with a goal from the two-meter position. But the Trojans buckled down on defense with a steal from junior two-meter Brigitta Games and back-to-back saves by freshman goalie Amanda Longan. On offense, the Trojans would take back the lead with a backhanded two-meter goal from Games.

In the second frame, Games out-muscled the Bruin defense to put away another goal from the two-meter spot while senior driver Melissa Bergessen floated one in toward the end of the half. The defense also kept their intensity with steals from juniors, driver Nikki Stansfield and two-meter Avery Peterson. The persistant Bruins would slip in another goal before the half to take the score to 4-2 with USC still in the lead.

Tensions grew at the beginning of the second half where USC head coach Jovan Vavic received a yellow card for encroaching. Despite the yellow card, Vavic’s communication with the team proved successful on a power play drawn by Peterson and converted by sophomore driver Brianna Daboub.

UCLA responded with a goal from the perimeter. Keeping the Bruins in check, Peterson took matters into her own hands with a spin move around her defender to put away another goal to bring the score 6-3. UCLA would then draw an ejection and convert a 6-on-5 goal to close the gap. For the duration of the quarter, USC relied heavily on their defensive game to keep the Bruins at bay with a save and steal from Longan and a crucial shot block by sophomore utility Hayley McKelvey on a UCLA power play. The Trojans would end the quarter on a high note with junior lefty powerhouse Stephania Haralabidis’ power play goal from the outside.

In the fourth quarter, UCLA and USC had a defensive stand-off with turnovers, shot blocks and saves tallied for both teams. Eventually, UCLA would break the silence with a lob goal that was quickly answered back by Stephania Haralabidis on a power play goal with the ejection drawn by Peterson. The Trojans would hold out UCLA for the final 2:50 of play keeping the final score at 8-5.

Peterson highlighted key stops and communication as major assets to their win.

“It was key on defense to stop their big shooters,” Peterson said. “On offense, we focused on our communication and passing to open up our opportunities.”

The action didn’t stop after the victory. The Trojans took on another competitor — Redlands — fresh off the win. This time the Trojans would show their athleticism and talent by shutting out the Bulldogs 23-0, and allowing only seven shots the entire game.

Despite a slow 2-0 start for the Trojans, the heat picked up in the second quarter with the Trojans scoring 11 goals in just eight minutes taking the score to 13-0 at the half. Top scorers of the game were freshmen driver Mackenzie Flath with 6 goals, freshman driver Brooke Presten with 5 and freshman Dagmar Gudmundsson with 4.

“We have great heart as team,” said Longan who totaled 13 saves against UCLA. “When we play, we play for each other and we’re so unified, and that’s what has allowed us to be so successful.”

The day opener against UCLA would mark the beginning of a series of high intensity games against top-ranked MPSF competition for the Trojans.

“We’re going to get in the pool on Monday and fix our mistakes, focus on every gap,“ Longan said. “We need to bring a lot of energy and have the mindset to make our mark.”

Next week, the Trojans with travel to Avery Aquatic Center in Palo Alto to face off against No. 3 Stanford in another big conference match-up.