Saturday, August 30
La Jolla, Calif
9:20 a.m.
USC
1-0
23
vs
9
George Washington
2-0
1
2
3
4
F
George Washington
1
4
3
1
9
Southern California
6
8
2
7
23
Team Stats
GW
USC
Shots
9
35
Goals
9
23
Assists
0
16
Points
9
39
Exclusions
8
12
Steals
0
10
Sprints
1
2
1
Chase Landa
7:11
Strahinja Krstic
6:38
Jack Martin
4:42
Efe Naipoglu
4:01
Robert Lopez Duart
3:26
Reed Hanna
2:32
Antonio Florena
1:55
2
Mihailo Vukazic
7:33
Kai De Orbeta
6:21
Mihailo Vukazic
6:15
Adonis Vlassis
5:37
Jack Martin
4:36
Jack Martin
3:49
Taj Whitehead
3:29
Reed Hanna
2:37
Antonio Florena
2:13
Zac Crenshaw
1:31
Antonio Florena
0:18
Zach Bettino
0:00
3
Ben McDade
7:05
Robert Lopez Duart
6:06
Antonio Florena
5:49
Jack Martin
4:29
Andrei Khudiakov
3:14
4
Gavin Conant
7:22
Jack Vort
6:23
Strahinja Krstic
5:09
Zach Bettino
4:20
Zac Crenshaw
3:24
Andrea Forno
2:48
Zach Bettino
2:22
Reed Hanna
0:51
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
5
Goals
3
Assists
0
Points
3
Shots
4
Goals
4
Assists
0
Points
4
Shots
4
Goals
3
Assists
2
Points
5
Shots
4
Goals
3
Assists
1
Points
4
Players Mentioned
DR
/ Men's Water Polo
DR
/ Men's Water Polo
2M
/ Men's Water Polo2M
/ Men's Water Polo
G
/ Men's Water Polo
DR
/ Men's Water Polo2M
/ Men's Water Polo
G
/ Men's Water Polo
DR
/ Men's Water Polo
DR
/ Men's Water Polo
Photo by: Drake Lee
No. 2 USC Men’s Water Polo Captures Two More Wins At Triton Invite
August 30, 2025 | Men's Water Polo
Trojans take down George Washington 23-9 and No. 15 UC Santa Barbara 16-10 behind big days from USC newcomers.
LA JOLLA, CALIF. — The No. 2 USC men's water polo team had a solid set of newcomers make some noise in two Trojan victories today at the Triton Invitational in La Jolla, Calif. After accounting for nine goals in the morning's 23-9 victory over George Washington, USC newcomers combined for 11 in a 16-10 win over No. 15 UC Santa Barbara. Freshmen Strahinja Krstić, Efe Naipoglu and grad transfer Mihailo Vukazić all set new USC career highs in the win over the Gauchos to help the Trojans improve to 3-0 overall.
In the morning matchup against George Washington — the first-ever meeting between the Trojans and the Revolutionaries — USC crafted a 6-0 with scores from six different Trojans, including the first career goals from Krstić, Naipoglu and Reed Hanna. Only one GW shot cracked Bernardo Herzer's net in that first frame, and he'd avenge it with a stop against a 5-meter penalty shot late in the period to hold a 6-1 advantage for the Trojans. Charlie Mills stepped into the cage for the next stretch, working his way out to eight saves in his three periods of work. On the offensive end, Jack Martin worked his way to a first-half hat trick, and Zach Bettino hammered home his first goal of the year to help USC to a 14-5 halftime lead. By the final buzzer, Bettino, Krstić and Hanna had hat tricks in place, just behind Martin's four-goal outburst. In all, 12 Trojans got to the back of the net in helping USC amass a 23-9 win over the Revs.
For the afternoon action, USC faced No. 15 UC Santa Barbara with Mills on goalie duty for the duration. USC came out strong, scoring the first three goals of the match. Five different USC scorers accounted for the Trojans 5-1 lead after eight minutes of action. The Gauchos got in a more offensive groove next, carving the deficit down to one before Robert López Duart scored two around a Mills stop, and USC was up 8-5 for halftime. UCSB got one back once against, cutting the margin to 9-8 in the third. The Trojans countered with a four-goal rally as Krstić and López Duart both got to four goals apiece to build a 13-8 advantage. Two Gaucho goals followed, only to have USC's Stefan Branković and Naipoglu add to the Trojan tally in the last stretch to wrap things up as a 16-10 USC victory.
NEXT:
USC concludes competition at the Triton Invitational tomorrow (Aug. 31) with a 9:20 a.m. clash against No. 10 San José State at UC San Diego's Canyonview Aquatic Center.
NOTABLE:
- Three freshmen — Strahinja Krstić, Reed Hanna and Efe Naipoglu all scored their first goals as Trojans during USC's win over George Washington.
- Krstić and Hanna both set their career highs with hat tricks scored vs. George Washington.
- Today's game was USC's first-ever meeting with George Washington.
- Against UC Santa Barbara, USC newcomers Krstić (four goals), Efe Naipoglu (three goals) and Mihailo Vukazić (three goals) each set their new USC career highs.
- JR Robert López Duart scored a season-high four goals vs. UC Santa Barbara.
- USC is now 80-13-2 all-time against UC Santa Barbara, with wins in the last six meetings (last loss was in 2019).
TRITON INVITATIONAL
GAME TWO
#2 USC 23, George Washington 9
Saturday, Aug. 30 | Canyonview Aquatic Center (La Jolla, Calif.)
USC 6 - 8 - 2 - 7 = 23
GW 1 - 4 - 3 - 1 = 9
SCORING:
USC — Jack Martin 4, Zach Bettino 3, Strahinja Krstić 3, Reed Hanna 3, Zac Crenshaw 2, Robert López Duart 2, Gavin Conant, Jack Vort, Mihailo Vukazić, Efe Naipoglu, Taj Whitehead, Chase Landa.
GW — Antonio Florena 4, Adonis Vlassis, Kai De Orbeta, Ben McDade, Andrei Khudiakov, Andrea Forno.
SAVES: Bernardo Herzer (USC) 6 [1st period], Charles Mills (USC) 11 [3 periods], Vasilije Marinkovic (GW) n/a.
GAME THREE
#2 USC 16, #15 UC Santa Barbara 10
Saturday, Aug. 30 | Canyonview Aquatic Center (La Jolla, Calif.)
USC 5 - 3 - 4 - 4 = 16
UCSB 1 - 4 - 3 - 2 = 10
SCORING:
USC — Robert López Duart 4, Strahinja Krstić 4, Efe Naipoglu 3, Mihailo Vukazić 3, Gavin Conant, Stefan Branković.
UCSB — Brock Zamanian 3, Sam McKenzie 2, Charlie Johnson, Griffin Pieretti, Camren Simoncelli, Billy Rankin, Tyler Roller.
SAVES: Charles Mills (USC) 4, Levi Lentin (UCSB) n/a.
In the morning matchup against George Washington — the first-ever meeting between the Trojans and the Revolutionaries — USC crafted a 6-0 with scores from six different Trojans, including the first career goals from Krstić, Naipoglu and Reed Hanna. Only one GW shot cracked Bernardo Herzer's net in that first frame, and he'd avenge it with a stop against a 5-meter penalty shot late in the period to hold a 6-1 advantage for the Trojans. Charlie Mills stepped into the cage for the next stretch, working his way out to eight saves in his three periods of work. On the offensive end, Jack Martin worked his way to a first-half hat trick, and Zach Bettino hammered home his first goal of the year to help USC to a 14-5 halftime lead. By the final buzzer, Bettino, Krstić and Hanna had hat tricks in place, just behind Martin's four-goal outburst. In all, 12 Trojans got to the back of the net in helping USC amass a 23-9 win over the Revs.
For the afternoon action, USC faced No. 15 UC Santa Barbara with Mills on goalie duty for the duration. USC came out strong, scoring the first three goals of the match. Five different USC scorers accounted for the Trojans 5-1 lead after eight minutes of action. The Gauchos got in a more offensive groove next, carving the deficit down to one before Robert López Duart scored two around a Mills stop, and USC was up 8-5 for halftime. UCSB got one back once against, cutting the margin to 9-8 in the third. The Trojans countered with a four-goal rally as Krstić and López Duart both got to four goals apiece to build a 13-8 advantage. Two Gaucho goals followed, only to have USC's Stefan Branković and Naipoglu add to the Trojan tally in the last stretch to wrap things up as a 16-10 USC victory.
NEXT:
USC concludes competition at the Triton Invitational tomorrow (Aug. 31) with a 9:20 a.m. clash against No. 10 San José State at UC San Diego's Canyonview Aquatic Center.
NOTABLE:
- Three freshmen — Strahinja Krstić, Reed Hanna and Efe Naipoglu all scored their first goals as Trojans during USC's win over George Washington.
- Krstić and Hanna both set their career highs with hat tricks scored vs. George Washington.
- Today's game was USC's first-ever meeting with George Washington.
- Against UC Santa Barbara, USC newcomers Krstić (four goals), Efe Naipoglu (three goals) and Mihailo Vukazić (three goals) each set their new USC career highs.
- JR Robert López Duart scored a season-high four goals vs. UC Santa Barbara.
- USC is now 80-13-2 all-time against UC Santa Barbara, with wins in the last six meetings (last loss was in 2019).
TRITON INVITATIONAL
GAME TWO
#2 USC 23, George Washington 9
Saturday, Aug. 30 | Canyonview Aquatic Center (La Jolla, Calif.)
USC 6 - 8 - 2 - 7 = 23
GW 1 - 4 - 3 - 1 = 9
SCORING:
USC — Jack Martin 4, Zach Bettino 3, Strahinja Krstić 3, Reed Hanna 3, Zac Crenshaw 2, Robert López Duart 2, Gavin Conant, Jack Vort, Mihailo Vukazić, Efe Naipoglu, Taj Whitehead, Chase Landa.
GW — Antonio Florena 4, Adonis Vlassis, Kai De Orbeta, Ben McDade, Andrei Khudiakov, Andrea Forno.
SAVES: Bernardo Herzer (USC) 6 [1st period], Charles Mills (USC) 11 [3 periods], Vasilije Marinkovic (GW) n/a.
GAME THREE
#2 USC 16, #15 UC Santa Barbara 10
Saturday, Aug. 30 | Canyonview Aquatic Center (La Jolla, Calif.)
USC 5 - 3 - 4 - 4 = 16
UCSB 1 - 4 - 3 - 2 = 10
SCORING:
USC — Robert López Duart 4, Strahinja Krstić 4, Efe Naipoglu 3, Mihailo Vukazić 3, Gavin Conant, Stefan Branković.
UCSB — Brock Zamanian 3, Sam McKenzie 2, Charlie Johnson, Griffin Pieretti, Camren Simoncelli, Billy Rankin, Tyler Roller.
SAVES: Charles Mills (USC) 4, Levi Lentin (UCSB) n/a.
Carson Kranz: Trojans Live 11.25.24
Monday, November 25
Stefan Brankovic | Trojans Live 09.23.24
Monday, September 23
Men's Water Polo - USC 13, UCLA 9: Highlights (11/18/23)
Saturday, November 18
Men’s Water Polo - USC 20, Augustana 4 : Highlights (11/17/23)
Friday, November 17
