USC
Pacific
No. 2 USC Edged Out At No. 4 Pacific
October 25, 2015 | Men's Water Polo
STOCKTON, CALIF. -- The No. 2 USC men's water polo came up against a stubborn No. 4 Pacific squad on the Tigers' home turf today. The Trojans had a slim lead at halftime, but the hosts made a second-half move into the lead and held on to beat USC 8-7 in an MPSF battle in Stockton. USC goes to 17-3 overall and takes its first MPSF loss to go to 5-1 in conference play.
Pacific drew first blood on a 5-meter penalty shot, but USC had an answer, equalizing early on a lob from Grant Stein. The Tigers took back the lead, only to see the Trojans deliver back-to-back strikes to maneuver ahead. James Walters punched in his first goal of the game, and Blake Edwards nailed one just before the buzzer to net USC a 3-2 advantage during the second period of play. Again the game knotted up on a strike from the Tigers, but USC had the last word when Lachlan Edwards sent in a ripper out of set on a USC 6-on-5 to get the Trojans ahead 4-3 by halftime.
In the third, Pacific would make some noise and work into the lead. Two Tiger goals put USC back in a one-goal hole before Walters rifled in the equalizer. Again Pacific worked ahead, and again USC had a response, this one on a 5-meter penalty shot converted by Stein to snarl it back up at 6-6 on the way into the fourth frame. Pacific made the first move in that one as well, registering an early goal and then outlasting a defensive stalemate that lasted five full minutes. Pacific would bump out to its biggest lead of the game, up 8-6 on a score off a deflection with 1:31 remaining in regulation. USC would earn and convert on a 5-meter penalty shot from Edwards in the final minute, but the Trojans would be unable to find an equalizer, left with an 8-7 loss to the host Tigers.
The Trojans have another MPSF road match on deck for next week. USC will pay a visit to Cal for a 9:30 a.m. contest on Saturday (Oct. 31) in Berkeley in a match to be televised on Pac-12 Networks.
#4 Pacific 8, #2 USC 7
Oct. 25, 2015 - Stockton, Calif.
USC 1 - 3 - 2 - 1 = 7
PAC 2 - 1 - 3 - 2 = 8
SCORING:
USC -- James Walters 2, Grant Stein 2, Blake Edwards 2, Lachlan Edwards.
PAC -- Petrovic 2, Obert 2, Thumwood 2, Laczkovics, Stevenson.
SAVES: McQuin Baron (USC) 10, Brady Moore (PAC) 14.
