Feb. 23, 2013

IRVINE, CALIF. -- The No. 2 USC women's water polo team got 10 different scorers in on the action in both Trojan victories today at the UCI Invitational to power USC through to tomorrow's semifinals. The well-balanced Trojan attack and stingy USC defense paired up well for a 14-2 win over Pacific and then a 17-5 victory over San Diego State today. USC improves to a perfect 10-0 overall with the wins, as the Trojans now turn to face UCLA in an 11:45 a.m. semifinal tomorrow (Feb. 24) for the right to move into the afternoon's title match.

USC's balance of power won out decidedly in the Trojans' morning matchup with No. 18 Pacific. Ten different Women of Troy sliced through to the back of the net in the game, with no Trojan scoring more than two goals in the game for a 14-2 victory over the Tigers. USC's defense was downright stubborn in the game, as the Trojans shut out the Tigers in the second half of play to ring up the 14-2 rout and move along in tournament play.

Up next for the Trojans was their second clash of the season with No. 7 San Diego State. USC was well-prepared for the Aztecs in this second round, turning a tight 3-2 first-period lead into a 9-3 halftime advantage with six goals scored in the second frame. Another surge in the third put the Trojans ahead 14-4 entering the final period, as USC rolled on to victory for a spot in tomorrow's semifinals. Against the Aztecs, USC got three goals from newcomer Jayde Appel and a career-high hat trick from Eike Daube to lead another set of 10 different scorers for the Women of Troy. Goalie Flora Bolonyai made another strong stand in the cage, hauling in eight saves in three periods of work to anchor the Trojan defense. USC freshman Anni Esparalso aided the USC cause while tacking up her first career multiple-goal game as a Trojan with her 5-meter penalty finish in the fourth period of play.

GROUP PLAY - Feb. 23
#2 USC 14, #18 Pacific 2
USC 3 - 3 - 5 - 3 = 14
PAC 1 - 1 - 0 - 0 = 2
SCORING:
USC -- Monica Vavic 2, Dominique Sardo 2, Kaleigh Gilchrist 2, Eike Daube 2, Jayde Appel, Hannah Buckling, Olivia Cummins, Nicolina McCall, Kelly Mendoza, Anni Espar.
PAC -- Martin, Pye.
SAVES: Flora Bolonyai (USC) 7, Alegra Hueso(USC) 0, Relton (PAC) 12.

#2 USC 17, #7 San Diego State 5
USC 3 - 6 - 5 - 3 = 17
SDSU 2 - 1 - 1 - 1 = 5
SCORING:
USC -- Jayde Appel 3, Eike Daube 3, Chelsea Silvers 2, Kaleigh Gilchrist 2, Anni Espar 2, Monica Vavic, Madeline Rosenthal, Colleen O'Donnell, Kelly Mendoza, Nicolina McCall.
SDSU -- Boling, Moreno, Pezzolla, Matos, Schwartz.
SAVES: Flora Bolonyai (USC) 8 [3 periods], Alegra Hueso (USC) 1 [1 period], Mitchell (SDSU) 6, Klingfus (SDSU) 1.