University Southern California Trojans
USC Closes Out 2005 With NCAA Title And Program Bests
December 07, 2005 | Men's Water Polo
Dec. 7, 2005
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There were few secrets left between the USC and Stanford men's water polo teams in their NCAA Championship match on Sunday. The game marked the fifth meeting between the Trojans and the Cardinal this season, and the fourth time the pair had squared off in an NCAA final. This time, the secret seemed to be in both teams' defense, and the low-scoring affair tilted in USC's favor with a 3-2 Trojan victory that capped off USC's season with their third NCAA title and the lowest scoring championship game in NCAA history.
USC finished the season with a program-best 26-1 record and a record 19-game winning streak. Stanford finished at 20-7 on the year.
In USC's two previous NCAA championship wins (1998 and 2003), the Trojans downed Stanford in overtime. This time around, however, it was an overtime game without the overtime period. In a match where defense reigned supreme, a stopped gameclock with 18 seconds left in the NCAA men's water polo championship match meant the road to USC's third national championship was just a little longer than originally thought. USC had a 3-2 lead, the ball and a man advantage with 18 seconds left in the game, but the scoreboard stalled out, although time was being kept by officials. Stanford head coach John Vargas registered a protest that was honored by added 18 seconds to the clock to replay the final moments of the game. USC kept control, and the celebration was then officially underway.
Both squads posted staunch stands in the cage, as Stanford goalie Sandy Hohener led the way with 11 saves. USC's Adam Shilling stopped nine shots and was named co-MVP of the tournament along with senior teammate Juraj Zatovic. Zatovic didn't score for the Trojans in the game -- the first time all season he had missed the scoring column for USC -- but was one of the Trojans' key elements in their stubborn defensive stand against the Cardinal.
"I just can't believe that the game came down to just five goals," USC head coach Jovan Vavic said. "I love games like this. I'm very proud of my guys. I think Adam was unbelievable. It was his first NCAA tournament and for him to step up is pretty darn special. And I have him for two more years."
Varellas was responsible for Stanford's tying goal in the first quarter, answering a Juan Delgadillo strike that had give USC the first lead. In the second period, Ted Zepfel put the Trojans up 2-1, and that score stood strong for a long time. Shilling turned away two Stanford 6-on-5 shots to hold USC's lead until early in the fourth frame. Michael Bury scored to tie it at 2-2 with six minutes left.
With three minutes left in regulation, USC earned a man advantage. The teams pulled even, but Pavol Valovic was able to rifle in a score for USC to make it 3-2. Just before the gameclock confusion hit, Stanford took off on an offensive series. Valovic got the steal, however, leading into the late Stanford ejection that occured with the scoreboard stuck at 18 seconds.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TROJANS
Adam Shilling and Juraj Zatovic were named Co-MVPs of the 2005 NCAA Tournament. They were joined on the All-Tournament First Team by teammates Juan Delgadillo and Thomas Hale. Tommy Corcoran was named Second Team All-Tournament.
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RANKINGS: USC (26-1) spent seven straight weeks at the top of the national rankings. The Trojans entered the 2005 season ranked No. 3, moved to No. 1 on Sept. 21 after winning the Southern California Tournament, slipped back to No. 2 on Oct. 5 after their only loss of the year, and then took over the top slot full-time on Oct. 19 after winning the Northern California Tournament on the way into MPSF play.
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MPSF CHAMP RECAP: The Trojans made a powerful statement at the MPSF Tournament, streaking through the tourney with decisive wins. USC already was almost certain of a bid into the NCAA Tournament by virtue of its dominating overall record and undefeated run through MPSF regular-season play. But still, the top-seeded tournament hosts did anything but back down on their home turf. The Trojans opened with a 10-8 win over eighth-seeded Long Beach State. The following day, USC squared off against a tough fifth-seeded California squad and rode out that heated battle on the way to another 10-8 decision that earned the Trojans a place in the championship match. Juan Delgadillo rifled in an eye-popping six goals in that semifinal clash, marking a career best and the best single-game scoring effort since 2001. The momentum of that offensive surge and 16 straight wins helped power USC up once more for its title match against Stanford, and the Trojans worked their win streak to 17 with an 8-5 win over the Cardinal that clinched an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament and marked USC's fourth win over Stanford this season. USC had also faced Stanford in the 2003 MPSF title match, beating the Cardinal 8-6. This year's championship victory avenged last season's loss to Stanford in the MPSF semifinals.... oh, and it upped that winning streak to 17 strong on the way into NCAA action.
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TROJANS AT THE NCAA TOURNEY: This year USC entered the NCAA Tournament as the top seed and arguable favorite to claim its third-ever NCAA title. The Trojans' last national championship had come in 2003, and they also won in 1998. Both of those title matches were against Stanford, first in a 9-8 overtime decision in 1998, and then once more in overtime in a 9-7 win against the Cardinal in 2003. This year was USC's 20th trip to the NCAA Tournaement, and the Trojans now hold a 36-19 record at the tournament after their 2005 title.
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TWICE AS NICE: Several current Trojans can now claim two national championships at USC. All-time leading scorer Juraj Zatovic helped the Trojans grab that 2003 title along with his fellow seniors Nik Healy and Ted Zepfel. Juniors Don Ricci, Thomas Hale and Juan Delgadillo also had a hand in that 2003 title. Head coach Jovan Vavic has led the Trojans to the national title three times now (1998, 2003, 2005). Assistant coaches Marko Pintaric and Peter Janov also were both members of that 1998 national champion team.
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GETTING STREAKY: USC ended the 2005 season on a 19-game winning streak to set a new record for the longest win streak in program history. The Trojans' MPSF championship victory extended their current streak to 17 straight games, tying a win streak that spanned the 2003 and 2004 seasons.
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HOME POOL DOMINATION: USC wound down the 2005 season with a flawless record in the waters of McDonald's Swim Stadium. Capping off the season as the tournament host to the MPSF Tournament, USC had some home-pool advantage to go along with that hefty winning streak. The Trojans finish off 2005 with a 9-0 record at home.
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CRAZY EIGHTS: In three seasons, USC has posted a .888 winning percentage thanks to just nine losses in three years. The 2005 Trojan junior and senior classes have been the mainstays in that stretch of domination, as USC posted a 24-3 record in 2003 and a 22-5 mark in 2004 to lead into this season's lopsided 26-1 finish. • • •
DELGADILLO DELIVERS: Junior driver Juan Delgadillo hit a career-high six goals in USC's MPSF semifinal victory over California to bust out the most single-game goals tallied since 2001. The six-goal explosion provided over half USC's goal production in the 10-8 win. Delgadillo had been averaging 1.9 goals per game on the way into the tournament, but with 11 goals across the three game sin the MPSF tourney, he more than upped his value.
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BEST EVER: USC senior Juraj Zatovic chiseled his place in USC men's water polo history on Oct. 23 when the two-meter defender rifled in five goals against UC Santa Barbara to become the Trojans' all-time leading scorer. Zatovic needed just two goals to move into a tie with Robert Lynn at the top of the USC charts, but the senior made sure to pass up the mark with a five-goal outburst that pumped up his career total to 193 goals. Zatovic made his mark in the second quarter of the game with his 189th and 190th career goals, while the No. 1 Trojans were working their way well past the host Gauchos on the way to a 10-3 victory in their MPSF opener. Zatovic now has 220 career goals and had 20 multiple-goal games this season.
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ALWAYS IN CONTROL: The Trojans' overall offensive production and defensive control were an overwhelming theme this season. After running up its winning streak to 19 games with their national championship win, USC finishes the 2005 season with its scoring output far outsweighing its goals allowed, outscoring all opponents 255-144 this season. On the attacking end of the pool, USC averaged 9.4 goals per game, while allowing a mere 5.3 per game. That offensive number ranked the Trojans No. 8 in the nation and fourth in the conference. Defensively, USC not only led the MPSF, but also the nation. The Trojan defense had not allowed more than five goals for eight straight games before coming up against UC Irvine in NorCal Tournament play on Oct. 15.
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SPRINT SPECIALIST: Junior utility Pavol Valovic was a speedy force on USC's opening sprints. The speedster took the majority of USC's sprints, and aside from a couple losses and early starts, Valovic was near perfect for the Trojans. In the SoCal Tournament championship game against Stanford on Sept. 18, Valovic was a perfect 4-for-4 off the lane line. He did the same against Stanford and was perfect once more against Pepperdine in MPSF play.
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TAKE FOUR: Senior two-meter defender Juraj Zatovic was named Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Mikasa Player of the Week award four times this season. The most recent award came after Zatovic scored the game-winning goal with just two seconds to play at No. 2 California, clinching the Trojans' place atop the MPSF ladder. Zatovic tallied his 11th consecutive multiple-goal game of the season in the next day's win over Pacific to help claim his sixth career MPSF weekly award, and the sixth such award for the Trojans this season. Juan Delgadillo and Adam Shilling also have each won once this year.
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SHILLING ON THE LIST: Sophomore goalie Adam Shilling earned his first career MPSF Player of the Week award after two big games in the cage for the Trojans last weekend. Shilling tacked up 10 saves in USC's important overtime win over Stanford, then came back and helped dispatch Pepperdine with six saves in three periods in the cage. For those efforts, Shilling was named MPSF Mikasa Co-Player of the Week on Nov. 9, becoming the third Trojan to win the weekly award this season. Shilling currently has posted 79 saves for the top-ranked Trojans this year and is ranked No. 24 in the nation with 7.2 saves per game.
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CAGE FIGHTERS: The red-capped tandem of sophomore Adam Shilling and junior Don Ricci were a decidedly potent one-two punch for the Trojans' top-ranked defense. Together, they had 200 saves, and each had a solid hand in securing USC's NCAA, MPSF, NorCal and SoCal Tournament victories this season. Ricci tacked up 11 saves in his time in the cage during the 14-8 NCAA semifinal win over St. Francis, and the Shilling stepped in for the title match. Shilling earned himself Co-MVP honors with his efforts in goal, posting nine saves in the championship win. In the MPSF Tournament, Ricci took to the cage in the first two games and made 16 saves in the two games -- topping out with 11 against Long Beach State in the first round. Shilling then posted eight against Stanford in the championship game. In the NorCal Tournament, Shilling anchored the Trojans to a semifinal win over Stanford with nine saves in the cage, and gave way to Ricci in the final. Ricci tacked up four saves, including a one-on-one stop against California, to help USC claim that tournament title. In the SoCal Tournament title game on Sept. 18, the pair shared in the championship effort. When Shilling was ejected in the second quarter, Ricci was able to sub in and make the stop on the Cardinal 6-on-5 attack. Shilling stepped back in at the half, and anchored the Trojans the rest of the way to the win.
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SHUTTING IT DOWN: When junior goalie Don Ricci took to the cage on Sept. 24 against Occidental, he also took hold of a piece of Trojan history by helping anchor USC to its first shutout victory since a 12-0 win over Cal State Los Angeles in 1988. Ricci posted four saves in the win, a testament to the powerful Trojan defense in field. And against Santa Clara on Oct. 15, Ricci pitched another shutout through his three quarters in the cage.
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VAVIC ON DECK: Head coach Jovan Vavic, one of the top water polo coaches in the country, serves a dual role as the head coach of both the USC men's and women's teams and has led both to national championships twice in the same school year (the men in 1998 and 2003 and the women in 1999 and 2004). In his 11th season at the helm of the men's program, Vavic improved his career coaching record on the men's side to 237-52 after leading the Trojans to their third-ever NCAA Championship. His Trojans also claimed the 2005 MPSF Championship and earned himself MPSF Coach of the Year honors. At 26-1, USC has posted its most wins in history and broke another record by extending their winning streak to 19 games. Vavic boasts a winning record against all opponents on the men's side of the game. Vavic pulled a coaching double sweep when he was named 2003 National Coach of the Year and MPSF Coach of the Year for the men and 2004 National Coach of the Year and MPSF Coach of the Year for the women. The 2004 women's team became the first team in NCAA Championship history to go undefeated (29-0) during the regular season.
