USC
Long Beach State
Top-Ranked Trojans Swamp Long Beach State
September 12, 2009 | Men's Water Polo
Sept. 12, 2009
LONG BEACH, CALIF. - The No. 1 USC men's water polo team pinned up a powerful win over Long Beach State behind three-goal outings rom Justin Rappel and Matt Burton. Now a clean 5-0 on the year, the Trojans have been crafting a successful one-two punch of stingy defense and well balanced offense. Today in Long Beach, USC held the 49ers to just three goals while seven Trojans got to the back of the net as USC built a 12-3 win over host Long Beach State.
The Trojans held Long Beach State scoreless for the opening stretch on the way to a 5-0 advantage on goals from Shea Buckner, Peter Kurzeka, Justin Rappel, J.W. Krumpholz and Matt Burton. The 49ers got on the board in the second period on a 6-on-5 score that made it 5-1, but USC responded with back-to-back strikes from Rappel that sparked another five-goal scoring run for the Trojans. Nico Sardo served up an assist for Burton's second goal of the day, and Burton returned the favor a minute later to take USC ahead 9-1 at the close of the half.
Buckner drove home USC's 10th goal to open the second half, and although Long Beach State stopped the run with a lob shot 30 seconds later, the Trojans punched in two more goals in the period. Kyle Sterling hit Matt Sagehorn for a score that made it 11-2, and Burton's third goal came on a 6-on-5 score later in the period for a 12-2 USC lead. In the fourth, Long Beach State would manage a 6-on-5 goal in the frame and that would be it for the scoring on the day, as USC emerged with a solid 12-3 victory.
USC's next competition takes the Trojans to the NorCal Tournament up at Stanford next weekend.
#1 USC 12, #9 Long Beach State 3
USC 3 - 6 - 3 - 0 = 12
LBSU 0 - 1 - 1 - 1 = 3
SCORING:
USC - Justin Rappel 3, Matt Burton 3, Shea Buckner 2, Peter Kurzeka, J.W. Krumpholz, Nico Sardo, Matt Sagehorn.
LBSU - Shane Luth, Alexsanr Petrovic, Kevin Mundia.
SAVES: Joel Dennerley (USC) 6, Brett Giery (USC) 1, Derek Wiebe-Bailey (LBSU) 7.
Players Mentioned
