Saturday, October 5
Los Angeles, Calif.
1:00 PM
USC
16
vs
10
UC Irvine
Players Mentioned
DR
/ Men's Water Polo
DR
/ Men's Water Polo
2M
/ Men's Water Polo
2M
/ Men's Water Polo
DR
/ Men's Water Polo
2M
/ Men's Water Polo
DR
/ Men's Water Polo
2M
/ Men's Water Polo
2M
/ Men's Water Polo
G
/ Men's Water Polo
DR
/ Men's Water Polo
DR
/ Men's Water Polo
Photo by: Hayley Hom
No. 5 USC Churns Out 16-10 Win Over No. 13 UC Irvine
October 05, 2019 | Men's Water Polo, Features
Vaios Vlahotasios hauls in a career-high 15 saves to help anchor the Trojans to a home victory.
LOS ANGELES, CALIF. — The No. 5 USC men's water polo team plugging in the first eight goals of the game in their return to home waters today. That 8-0 advantage set the Trojans' course a final 16-10 victory over visiting No. 13 UC Irvine, improving USC to 8-2 overall with another home win at Uytengsu Aquatics Center.
Junior goalie Vaios Vlahotasios had eight of his final career-best 15 saves during the first half, with the Trojan defense allowing just one goal in those first 16 minutes of play. It wasn't until the final minute of the first half that the Anteaters were able to crack the USC defense. By that time, the Trojans had rung up eight goals on the other end. Jacob Mercep was the only Trojan to score twice in that rally, as USC spread the wealth among seven Trojans for that 8-1 halftime advantage. Mercep had lit the fuse with a 5-meter penalty shot earned by yet another power move from senior Sam Slobodien. USC would convert on all three 6-on-5 chances in the first frame, with Hannes Daube, Marcus Longton and Luke Wyatt all zipping in power play goals to go along with even scores from Marin Dasic and Matt Maier. After eight minutes, USC was gripping a 6-0 lead, with plenty more left in the tank. Slobodien rattled the back of the cage to open the second period, and Mercep topped off the USC rally with a 6-on-5 finish set up by Jake Ehrhardt.
In the third period, Mercep delivered back-to-back blasts to build out a 10-1 USC lead early. UC Irvine struck back with two goal next before James Kolenda hit Grayden Reynolds for a ripper out of set for the Trojans. Entering the fourth, USC was up 11-4 on the Anteaters. The fourth would unfurl as an all-out shootout. Slobodien slammed in his second out of set to open things, and then Matt Maier earned a 5-meter penalty shot for USC. Daube deposited it to the back of the net, and USC was up 13-4 with 6:42 on the clock. The Anteaters would manage six goals in the remaining stretch while USC's Wyatt and Reynolds wrapped their second goals of the day around the first from Bennett Winther, and the final buzzer would sound on a 16-10 USC victory.
The Trojans now turn to a key rematch against No. 4 UC Santa Barbara tomorrow (Oct. 6). USC will face the Gauchos at 12 p.m. in Santa Barbara for a shot at avenging an earlier rare loss to UCSB.
#5 USC 16, #13 UC Irvine 10
Oct. 5, 2019 | Uytengsu Aquatics Center (Los Angeles, Calif.)
USC 6 - 2 - 3 - 5 = 16
UCI 0 - 1 - 3 - 6 = 10
SCORING:
USC — Jacob Mercep 4, Hannes Daube 2, Luke Wyatt 2, Sam Slobodien 2, Grayden Reynolds 2, Marin Dasic, Matt Maier, Marcus Longton, Bennett Winther.
UCI — Ivan Mercep 3, Jason Evezard 2, Zlatan Nikocevic, Jovan Gojkovich, Bryant Joudrie, Kiyan Mohebbizadeh, Chad Gornay,
SAVES: Vaios Vlahotasios (USC) 15, Harrison Land (UCI) 1 [1st period], Collin Winters (UCI) 1 [2nd & 4th periods], Chandler Mankins (UCI) 1 [3rd period].
Junior goalie Vaios Vlahotasios had eight of his final career-best 15 saves during the first half, with the Trojan defense allowing just one goal in those first 16 minutes of play. It wasn't until the final minute of the first half that the Anteaters were able to crack the USC defense. By that time, the Trojans had rung up eight goals on the other end. Jacob Mercep was the only Trojan to score twice in that rally, as USC spread the wealth among seven Trojans for that 8-1 halftime advantage. Mercep had lit the fuse with a 5-meter penalty shot earned by yet another power move from senior Sam Slobodien. USC would convert on all three 6-on-5 chances in the first frame, with Hannes Daube, Marcus Longton and Luke Wyatt all zipping in power play goals to go along with even scores from Marin Dasic and Matt Maier. After eight minutes, USC was gripping a 6-0 lead, with plenty more left in the tank. Slobodien rattled the back of the cage to open the second period, and Mercep topped off the USC rally with a 6-on-5 finish set up by Jake Ehrhardt.
In the third period, Mercep delivered back-to-back blasts to build out a 10-1 USC lead early. UC Irvine struck back with two goal next before James Kolenda hit Grayden Reynolds for a ripper out of set for the Trojans. Entering the fourth, USC was up 11-4 on the Anteaters. The fourth would unfurl as an all-out shootout. Slobodien slammed in his second out of set to open things, and then Matt Maier earned a 5-meter penalty shot for USC. Daube deposited it to the back of the net, and USC was up 13-4 with 6:42 on the clock. The Anteaters would manage six goals in the remaining stretch while USC's Wyatt and Reynolds wrapped their second goals of the day around the first from Bennett Winther, and the final buzzer would sound on a 16-10 USC victory.
The Trojans now turn to a key rematch against No. 4 UC Santa Barbara tomorrow (Oct. 6). USC will face the Gauchos at 12 p.m. in Santa Barbara for a shot at avenging an earlier rare loss to UCSB.
#5 USC 16, #13 UC Irvine 10
Oct. 5, 2019 | Uytengsu Aquatics Center (Los Angeles, Calif.)
USC 6 - 2 - 3 - 5 = 16
UCI 0 - 1 - 3 - 6 = 10
SCORING:
USC — Jacob Mercep 4, Hannes Daube 2, Luke Wyatt 2, Sam Slobodien 2, Grayden Reynolds 2, Marin Dasic, Matt Maier, Marcus Longton, Bennett Winther.
UCI — Ivan Mercep 3, Jason Evezard 2, Zlatan Nikocevic, Jovan Gojkovich, Bryant Joudrie, Kiyan Mohebbizadeh, Chad Gornay,
SAVES: Vaios Vlahotasios (USC) 15, Harrison Land (UCI) 1 [1st period], Collin Winters (UCI) 1 [2nd & 4th periods], Chandler Mankins (UCI) 1 [3rd period].
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