USC
MPSF Championships
Men's Water Polo Season Ends at MPSFs
November 29, 1999 | Men's Water Polo
Nov. 29, 1999
IRVINE, Calif. - The USC men's water polo team finished a disappointing fifth at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Tournament at UC Irvine over the weekend, ending the season for the Trojans.
USC entered the tournament as the No. 1-ranked team but seeded third. In a first-round upset, Pacific knocked off USC, 10-9, effectively ending USC's reign as NCAA champions and knocking the Trojans out of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1995.
Tied 9-9 late in the game, Pacific's Chris Lund scored on a breakaway with 14 seconds left.
The Trojans bounced back with wins over Pepperdine, 15-3, and UC Santa Barbara, 9-7, to finish fifth.
Four Trojans scored a total of six goals each in the tournament: Allen Basso, James Castle, George Csaszar and Peter Janov.
USC ends the season with a 22-5 record, the fifth straight year the Trojans have accumulated 20 or more victories.
UCLA beat Stanford, 12-11, in overtime to win the championship. Those two teams will move on to the NCAA Tournament next weekend.
Pacific 2-2-4-2---10
USC 3-3-2-1--9
USC Goals: James Castle 3, Allen Basso 2, Ivan Babic 1, George Csaszar 1, Adam Guerrero 1, Peter Janov 1.
Saves: Richard McEvoy 2.
Pepperdine 0-1-2-0--3
USC 3-6-3-3--15
USC Goals: James Castle 3, Peter Janov 3, Allen Basso 3, George Csaszar 2, Ivan Babic 1, Johnathon Hewko 1, Daniel Lontay 1, Bjorn Nordstrom 1.
Saves: Richard McEvoy 10.
UCSB 3-2-1-1--7
USC 2-3-2-2--9
USC Goals: George Csaszar 3, Peter Janov 2, Daniel Lontay 2, Allen Basso 1, Adam Guerrero 1.
Saves: Richard McEvoy 7.
