USC
California*
No. 3 USC Powers Past No. 5 Cal, 12-7
April 13, 2007 | Women's Water Polo
April 13, 2007
LOS ANGELES, CALIF. - The No. 3 USC women's water polo team now sits two wins away from a fifth consecutive undefeated season at home, having notched a 12-7 MPSF win over No. 5 California on Friday night at McDonald's Swim Stadium. In an exclusion-riddled match, USC was able to outmuscle the Bears and put up a strong defensive stand through the first three periods to help lock away the win. The Trojans improve to 15-4 overall and are 8-2 in MPSF play with the victory. They have now won 37 straight home matches.
Erika Figge led the way with four goals for the Trojans, and freshman goalie Tumua Anae registered a career-high 11 saves in the win.
There were a grand total of 30 kickouts and two penalties in the game, marking a physical match that the Trojans seemed to remain in control of. After a tight start to the game in which the teams matched each other goal-for-goal in the first period, USC worked its way ahead. USC allowed only one natural goal from the Bears in the second period - a score from U.S. National Teamer Elsie Windes - that brought the Bears within one at 4-3 with 3:22 left in the half. Michelle Stein would score her second of three on the day when her shot ricocheted of a Cal defender's arm with the Trojans up 6-on-4. That put USC up 5-3 in the match, and sparked what would grow to be a seven-goal scoring streak for the Women of Troy.
Veronika Bartunkova went bar-in to open the third and lift USC ahead to its largest lead of the game at 6-3. But that advantage would grow to 11-3 by the fourth. USC silenced the Bears in the third and squelched three Cal 6-on-5 opportunities behind a steal by Forel Davies, a Jana Wenger field block and a field save from Miranda Nichols and a 5-on-6 save by goalie Tumua Anae. Meanwhile, Stein finished off a swift 6-on-5 assist from Patty Cardenas, Erika Figge sliced in the finishing touches on a USC counterattack off a Nichols steal, and Brittany Hayes took another Cardenas assist and put away a one-on-one chance to lift USC ahead 9-3 for the final period of play.
The whistle kept blowing in the fourth, as Nichols scored on a USC 6-on-5 to notch the Trojans' fifth straight goal. Kami Craig and Nichols each earned a 5-meter penalty shot with some powerful work at set, and Figge skipped home the ensuing shots to get her to four goals on the day. That puts the senior just a goal away from tying 2006 Cutino Award winner Lauren Wenger as the No. 8 all-time scorer at USC. Figge currently has 126 career goals, and Wenger finished off her USC career with 127. A series of Cal 6-on-5 chances would go well for the Bears. They capped off their first with another goal from Windes to end USC's scoring blitz and make the score 11-4. Figge's fourth goal came next, and then Cal managed three straight scores to close out the game.
Next up for the Trojans is a Saturday MPSF match against No. 6 San Diego State. USC hosts the Aztecs at 5 p.m., following the day's Swim With Mike activities. The Trojans' home season then closes down with Senior Day on Sunday at 12:30 p.m., where USC will face Hartwick in a nonconference game at McDonald's Swim Stadium.
#3 USC 12, #5 California 7
Cal 2 - 1 - 0 - 4 --- 7
USC 2 - 3 - 4 - 3 --- 12
SCORING:
USC - Erika Figge 4, Michelle Stein 3, Brittany Hayes 2, Kami Craig, Veronika Bartunkova, Miranda Nichols.
Cal - Elsie Windes 2, Meghan Corso 2, Molly Hayes, Paige Lorenz, Grace Reynolds.
SAVES: Tumua Anae (USC) 11, Heather Stuart (Cal) 8.
