USC
Stanford
Trojans Take Third At MPSFs, Top Stanford 9-7
November 29, 2009 | Men's Water Polo
Nov. 29, 2009
LOS ANGELES, CALIF. - The USC men's water polo team sewed up a crucial win over Stanford in today's MPSF third-place game behind a balanced second-period push to take the lead and stay there down the stretch. In a rematch of the 2008 NCAA Championship game, the host Trojans reigned supreme again with a 9-7 victory to to notch USC's 17th straight win over Stanford and improve its senior class' record against the Cardinal to 12-0 in the past four seasons, while USC improved to 24-2 overall on the year. USC entered the MPSF Championships as the top seed and still holds the best overall record in the country to put the Trojans as the most likely recipient of the at-large bid into next week's NCAA Championships.
To get there, however, a win today over Stanford was near vital. The Cardinal made the first move with a 2-0 lead, but the Trojans responded with determination by generating a five-goal scoring surge to take the lead. Stanford would close to within one during the fourth period, but each time USC punched in a score to pad things. A fourth assist and two fourth-period goals from USC senior Matt Sagehorn spelled doom for the Cardinal as USC pulled ahead. Sagehorn was one of three Trojans to finish with a pair of goals, with Jordan Thompson and J.W. Krumpholz each hitting two during USC's 4-0 surge in the second period of play.
After Stanford sparked with the first two goals, USC stayed composed. Jordan Thompson earned a 6-on-5 for the Trojans, and Justin Rappel drove home USC's first goal of the day. Stanford would lead 2-1 at the end of the first frame, but the Trojans had a busy period in store for the next stage. Matt Sagehorn hit Jordan Thompson for back-to-back scores out of set, the second a sweeping strike across the line to get USC into the lead for the first time, up 3-2 at 3:46 in the second. J.W. Krumpholz earned another USC power play next, and Anthony Artukovich got the ball back to Krumpholz for a 4-2 USC advantage. While the Trojan defense continued to stymie the Cardinal attack, Kyle Sterling followed up a booming field block with a shot that went off the bar and within reach of Krumphoz, who redirected the ball to the back of the net for a 5-2 USC lead. More Trojan field blocks and a Stanford 6-on-5 shot off the crossbar kept USC's lead firmly intact for the second half.
Stanford opened the second half with another 6-on-5 chance, but a quick shot try was squelched by USC goalie Joel Dennerley. Sagehorn launched a counterattack pass to Devon Borisoff, and Borisoff took on Stanford goalie Jimmie Sandman and finished the opportunity with a lob for a dominating 6-2 USC lead early in the third. Stanford would rally back and get the score to 6-5 USC early in the fourth when Janson Wigo scored off a deflected field block. A minute later, Sagehorn hit Matt Burton for a crosscage lob that proved huge for the Trojans, getting USC back ahead by two, up 7-5. Stanford closed it to 7-6 with another 6-on-5 score, but Sagehorn went nearside for a long-awaited goal that made it 8-6 USC at 3:45. Once again, the Cardinal made good on a power play to cut it to 8-7 with 2:52 to go, but the USC defense kicked in to close things down. The Trojans crashed two meters for one takeaway, and Dennerley knocked down another save against the Cardinal at 1:28. After Sagehorn delivered his second goal as he finished off a Peter Kurzeka pass to two meters, Artukovich threw up another USC field block, and then Burton did the same to polish off a 9-7 USC victory.
The NCAA Championship field and pairings will be announced later tonight on ncaa.com. Princeton and LMU have already secured bids, with the MPSF tournament champion and an at-large team - which will will likely be USC - bound for Princeton. N.J., for NCAA action Dec. 5-6.
2009 MPSF CHAMPIONSHIPS
Los Angeles, Calif. (McDonald's Swim Stadium)
Saturday, Nov. 29
Game 11 -- 3rd Place
USC def. Stanford -- 9-7
USC 1 - 4 - 1 - 3 = 9
STAN 2 - 0 - 2 - 3 = 7
SCORING:
USC -- Jordan Thompson 2, J.W. Krumpholz 2, Matt Sagehorn 2, Justin Rappel, Devon Borisoff, Matt Burton.
STAN -- Jacob Smith 2, Janson Wigo 2, Alex Pulido, Travis Noll, Ryan McCarthy.
SAVES: Joel Dennerley (USC) 6, Jimmie Sandman (STAN) 13.
Players Mentioned
