Sunday, December 8
Stanford, Calif.
3 p.m.
USC
23-6
8
vs
11
UCLA
26-2
1
2
3
4
F
Southern California
2
2
2
2
8
UCLA
2
2
3
4
11
Team Stats
USC
UCLA
Shots
26
30
Goals
8
11
Assists
8
8
Points
16
19
Exclusions
12
8
Steals
5
8
Sprints
1
3
1
Aaron Voggenthaler
5:32
Nico Tierney
3:39
Robert Lopez Duart
3:08
Max Miller
0:18
2
Andrej Grgurevic
7:33
Chase Dodd
5:19
Tom McGuire
2:03
Ryder Dodd
1:37
3
Nico Tierney
7:28
Robert Lopez Duart
7:03
Andrej Grgurevic
4:29
Team
4:14
Ryder Dodd
0:49
4
Jack Larsen
7:25
Luka Brnetic
6:08
Peter Castillo
5:42
Chase Dodd
4:19
Luke Nelson
2:27
Jack Larsen
0:13
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
6
Goals
2
Assists
1
Points
3
Shots
5
Goals
1
Assists
0
Points
1
Shots
3
Goals
0
Assists
4
Points
4
Shots
2
Goals
2
Assists
3
Points
5
Players Mentioned
2M
/ Men's Water PoloUT
/ Men's Water Polo
G
/ Men's Water PoloDR
/ Men's Water Polo
2M
/ Men's Water Polo
DR
/ Men's Water Polo
2M
/ Men's Water Polo
Photo by: Katie Chin
USC Men’s Water Polo Takes 11-8 Loss In NCAA Championship
December 08, 2024 | Men's Water Polo
Trojans fall to UCLA to finish up 2024 with a 23-6 overall record.
STANFORD, CALIF. — The No. 2 seeded USC men's water polo team fought through four tie scores and was within one goal in the fourth quarter before top-seeded UCLA netted back-to-back goals to get a leg up and pull off a final 11-8 victory over the Trojans in the NCAA championship game today in Stanford, Calif. USC had won five straight games, punching its 20th consecutive ticket to the NCAA tourney as MPSF Tournament champions before posting two wins in NCAA play to take its spot in today's title match. The Trojans finish out the year with a 23-6 overall record.
It was a well-played game on both ends as crosstown rivals clashed in the waters of Avery Aquatic Center for the ninth time in an NCAA championship game. The Bruins took a 2-0 lead out of the gates, but USC regrouped and scored three straight. Robert López Duart sparked the Trojan run with a 6-on-5 blast 30 seconds after UCLA had made it 2-0. After earning a power play for his Trojans, Max Miller came up with a dunk at the post off a feed from Andrej Grgurevic to level things 2-2 just before the close of the first. With momentum on their side, the Trojans capitalized again on a Miller-drawn 6-on-5, with Grgurevic hammering that one home to tug the Trojans ahead 3-2. The Bruins pulled even two minutes later, and then Carson Kranz found Tom McGuire for a ripper from the top that nudged USC back ahead 4-3. With 1:37 left in the half, UCLA equalized again, and after Bernardo Herzer snuffed the Bruins' final look, it was snarled up 4-4 for halftime.
A Bruin power play helped UCLA to a 5-4 advantage early in the third, but the Trojans were undeterred. Kranz kept up his assist machine and found López Duart for a skipper, then later hit Grgurevic for his second of the day to take the Trojans to a 6-5 lead midway through the third. The Bruins would find two goals before the close of the frame, though, and USC was in a 7-6 hole entering the fourth. UCLA's third straight came on a power play to kick off the final frame, and then USC got one back on a rocket from Luka Brnetic — on another Kranz setup pass — to get it to a one-goal game with 6:08 to go. UCLA came up with two even scores next, however, building a three-goal advantage with 4:19 on the clock. Herzer came up with some huge saves down the stretch, and Grgurevic fed Jack Martin for a burner out of set, but that would be the last strike for the Trojans. The Bruins got an opportunistic goal late as USC was looking for a chance, and the game wrapped as an 11-8 UCLA victory.
At the end of the event, USC had three players named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team in Robert López Duart, Max Miller and Bernardo Herzer.
NATIONAL COLLEGIATE MEN'S WATER POLO CHAMPIONSHIP
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
[2] USC vs. [1] UCLA
Sunday, Dec. 8 | Avery Aquatic Center (Stanford, Calif.)
USC 2 - 2 - 2 - 2 = 8
UCLA 2 - 2 - 3 - 4 = 11
SCORING:
USC — Robert López Duart 2, Andrej Grgurevic 2, Max Miller, Tom McGuire, Luka Brnetic, Jack Martin.
UCLA — Jack Larsen 2, Chase Dodd 2, Ryder Dodd 2, Nico Tierney 2, Aaron Voggenthaler, Frederico Jucá Carsalade, Peter Castillo.
SAVES: Bernardo Herzer (USC) 9, Nate Tauscher (UCLA) 10.
NOTABLE:
- With his goal today, Max Miller has scored in a team-best 27 of USC's 29 games this season.
- Miller finishes with 147 career goals, ranking him No. 16 all-time in career scoring at USC.
- Miller scored at least one goal in USC's last nine games.
- Carson Kranz finishes his USC career with 133 career goals, ranking him tied at No. 24 all-time in career scoring at USC.
- With two goals today, Robert López Duart finishes as USC's leader in multiple-goal outings, with 20 this season.
- With 64 goals scored this season, López Duart is one of 14 Trojans to score 60 or more goals in a single season.
It was a well-played game on both ends as crosstown rivals clashed in the waters of Avery Aquatic Center for the ninth time in an NCAA championship game. The Bruins took a 2-0 lead out of the gates, but USC regrouped and scored three straight. Robert López Duart sparked the Trojan run with a 6-on-5 blast 30 seconds after UCLA had made it 2-0. After earning a power play for his Trojans, Max Miller came up with a dunk at the post off a feed from Andrej Grgurevic to level things 2-2 just before the close of the first. With momentum on their side, the Trojans capitalized again on a Miller-drawn 6-on-5, with Grgurevic hammering that one home to tug the Trojans ahead 3-2. The Bruins pulled even two minutes later, and then Carson Kranz found Tom McGuire for a ripper from the top that nudged USC back ahead 4-3. With 1:37 left in the half, UCLA equalized again, and after Bernardo Herzer snuffed the Bruins' final look, it was snarled up 4-4 for halftime.
A Bruin power play helped UCLA to a 5-4 advantage early in the third, but the Trojans were undeterred. Kranz kept up his assist machine and found López Duart for a skipper, then later hit Grgurevic for his second of the day to take the Trojans to a 6-5 lead midway through the third. The Bruins would find two goals before the close of the frame, though, and USC was in a 7-6 hole entering the fourth. UCLA's third straight came on a power play to kick off the final frame, and then USC got one back on a rocket from Luka Brnetic — on another Kranz setup pass — to get it to a one-goal game with 6:08 to go. UCLA came up with two even scores next, however, building a three-goal advantage with 4:19 on the clock. Herzer came up with some huge saves down the stretch, and Grgurevic fed Jack Martin for a burner out of set, but that would be the last strike for the Trojans. The Bruins got an opportunistic goal late as USC was looking for a chance, and the game wrapped as an 11-8 UCLA victory.
At the end of the event, USC had three players named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team in Robert López Duart, Max Miller and Bernardo Herzer.
NATIONAL COLLEGIATE MEN'S WATER POLO CHAMPIONSHIP
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
[2] USC vs. [1] UCLA
Sunday, Dec. 8 | Avery Aquatic Center (Stanford, Calif.)
USC 2 - 2 - 2 - 2 = 8
UCLA 2 - 2 - 3 - 4 = 11
SCORING:
USC — Robert López Duart 2, Andrej Grgurevic 2, Max Miller, Tom McGuire, Luka Brnetic, Jack Martin.
UCLA — Jack Larsen 2, Chase Dodd 2, Ryder Dodd 2, Nico Tierney 2, Aaron Voggenthaler, Frederico Jucá Carsalade, Peter Castillo.
SAVES: Bernardo Herzer (USC) 9, Nate Tauscher (UCLA) 10.
NOTABLE:
- With his goal today, Max Miller has scored in a team-best 27 of USC's 29 games this season.
- Miller finishes with 147 career goals, ranking him No. 16 all-time in career scoring at USC.
- Miller scored at least one goal in USC's last nine games.
- Carson Kranz finishes his USC career with 133 career goals, ranking him tied at No. 24 all-time in career scoring at USC.
- With two goals today, Robert López Duart finishes as USC's leader in multiple-goal outings, with 20 this season.
- With 64 goals scored this season, López Duart is one of 14 Trojans to score 60 or more goals in a single season.
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Monday, November 25
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Monday, September 23
Men's Water Polo - USC 13, UCLA 9: Highlights (11/18/23)
Saturday, November 18
Men’s Water Polo - USC 20, Augustana 4 : Highlights (11/17/23)
Friday, November 17
