Sept. 16, 1997

No.2 USC Beats Long Beach State, 15-8

LONG BEACH, Calif. - Junior driver Marko Pintaric scored five points, including all points for either team in the second period, leading second-ranked USC to a 15-8 water polo victory over No. 7 Long Beach State at Belmont Plaza Pool in Long Beach. Senior Simun Cimerman added three points for the Trojans, who improved to 2-0 on the season.

The game was tight at the end of the first period, then USC scored six straight points, including four by Pintaric and one each by freshman Sean Hylton and sophomores James Castle, making it 10-3.

Long Beach closed the gap to five in the third period at 10-5 on goals by Matthew Tilton and Adam Collins, but the Trojans held the 49ers off with four fourth-quarter scores.

Richard McEvoy had ten saves for USC, to seven for the 49ers' Adam Carter. Junior Jeff Colyer paced the 49ers with three points in the season opener for Long Beach.

USC		4	4	3	4	-	15
LBSU	3	0	2	3	-	 8