Saturday, February 17
Irvine, Calif.
12:00 PM
USC
at
UC Irvine
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Water Polo
DEF
/ Women's Water Polo
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/ Women's Water Polo
DR
/ Women's Water Polo
DEF
/ Women's Water Polo
G
/ Women's Water Polo
ATT
/ Women's Water Polo
ATT
/ Women's Water Polo
2M
/ Women's Water Polo
UT
/ Women's Water Polo
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/ Women's Water Polo
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/ Women's Water Polo
C
/ Women's Water Polo
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/ Women's Water Polo
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/ Women's Water Polo
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/ Women's Water Polo
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/ Women's Water Polo
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/ Women's Water Polo
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/ Women's Water Polo
DR
/ Women's Water Polo
UT
/ Women's Water Polo
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/ Women's Water Polo
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/ Women's Water Polo
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/ Women's Water Polo
Photo by: Katie Chin
No. 5 USC Women’s Water Polo Pays Visit To No. 10 UC Irvine
February 14, 2024 | Women's Water Polo
Trojans take on the Anteaters for a noon clash on Saturday in Irvine.
THIS WEEK
No. 5 USC gets back to action this weekend with a visit to UC Irvine. The Trojans (4-2) will face the No. 10 Anteaters (4-5) at 12 p.m. on Saturday (Feb. 17) at Anteater Aquatics Complex.
RANKINGS
USC opened up 2024 tied at No. 1 in the national rankings. After the first week of action, the Trojans stood alone at the top. In the latest round of rankings (released Feb. 14), USC currently stands tied at No. 5 in the nation.
LAST ACTION
In USC's most recent competition, the Trojans finished fourth at the Triton Invitational.
#1 USC 20, Concordia 3
USC peeled out to a 14-0 lead on the Eagles, with Alejandra Aznar lacing in three goals in that run while Meghan McAninch, Rachel Gazzaniga and Alex Bonaguidi each contributed a pair for the Trojan cause. CUI got on the board just before halftime hit, making it a 14-1 scoreline at the break. After Carolyne Stern tapped out of the cage with three saves and just one goal allowed, Jada Ward and Laine Hourigan shared time between the piped in the second half. USC's scoring onslaught tapered off, but the defense remained stingy. Aznar and Gazzaniga would each punch in a couple more scores to net career highs with five and four goals, respectively, to lead a pack of 10 Trojans on the scoresheet for the day.
#1 USC 16, #10 Michigan 9
USC was propelled by a career-high six goals from freshman Ava Stryker in a 16-9 win over the Wolverines. Goalie Stern was just short of her own career high, making 14 saves along the way as USC never trailed in its push to score a spot in the semis. Gazzaniga and veterans Hannah Meyer and Julia Janov each scored a pair of goals for USC in the win.
SEMIFINAL: #5 Fresno State 8, #1 USC 7
USC gripped a three-goal lead in the second period before the Bulldogs bit back. Goals from Stryker and Aznar had USC up 5-2, but Fresno State clawed back to make it a 5-4 margin at halftime. Three straight Bulldog blasts swung the momentum and the scoreline in Fresno State's favor, forcing USC into comeback bode. A Stern stop and a Janov score had USC one back at 7-6 at the close of the third, but the Bulldogs would continue to fend off the Trojans. Gazzaniga's third of the day got USC within one at 8-7 late in the game, and the Trojans were unable to find an equalizer.
THIRD-PLACE GAME: #4 Hawai'i 10, #1 USC 6
The Rainbow Wahine struck first before USC's Honnie Vandeweghe-O'Shea delivered an equalizer, but Hawai'i went back-to-back next to take a two-goal advantage. Julia Janov broke that up with a 6-on-5 score after Hannah Meyer drew an exclusion, and then Hawai'i hit again to hold a 4-2 lead after eight minutes of action. The Trojans would come up empty in the next period while the Rainbow Wahine knocked in a pair to lead it 6-2 at halftime. USC went into a five-goal hole early in the third but then generated some offense when Janov earned a 5-meter penalty shot the Aznar deposited before Abigail Hendrix hit on a lob to get it to 7-4. Again, Hawai'i had a response, and USC was down 8-4 entering the fourth. Janov punched up two more goals for the Trojans in the final frame, only to see Hawai'i score a 5-meter penalty shot and then add another en route to the 10-6 decision.
BY THE NUMBERS
Just six games deep into 2024, USC's balanced scoring charge is led by Rachel Gazzaniga with 13 goals, followed by Julia Janov with 12 and Ava Stryker with 10. In all, 15 Trojans have scored at least one goal to date, including four with their first goals as Trojans. Defensively, three USC goalies have factored into the 4-2 start, led by senior Carolyne Stern. Stern is averaging 10.2 saves per game thanks in part to back-to-back double-digit save outings during the Triton Invite. USC's other two goalies — Laine Hourigan and Jada Ward — are in their second season of action as Trojans. Overall, the group averages 10.0 saves per game to anchor a Trojan defense giving up just 6.7 goals per game. USC has outscored opponents 83-40 so far, while holding teams scoreless in five different periods to date.
OVERSEAS ACHIEVERS
International experience has been key to USC's development of versatile players. The USA pipeline has crafted a number of outstanding Trojans — past, present and future, including Team USA's Emily Ausmus, who deferred her freshman enrollment at USC in order to train for the 2024 Olympics. Many other U.S. pipeline products will be capped up for USC this season, including Morgan Netherton, Rachel Gazzaniga and Ava Stryker, who competed for the USA at Junior Worlds this past summer. Abigail Hendrix, Maggie Johnson, Meghan McAninch, Hannah Meyer, Carolyne Stern, Honnie Vandeweghe-O'Shea, Deming Wyer and Isabel Zimmerman also have capped up for the USA at the Youth level. Outside of the United States, several returning Trojans have also gathered international experience with other nations — Alejandra Aznar (Spain), Julia Janov (Slovakia), Emma Lawson (Canada), Fanni Muzsnay (Hungary), Jelena Sarac (Serbia).
CENTER STAGE
USC is without one decorated Trojan international for 2024, as Olympian and Cutino Award finalist Tilly Kearns is training with Australia for the 2024 Olympic Games. That leaves a void at the center position for this season, but head coach Casey Moon has tapped into his handy toolkit in order to adjust. In addition to the proven work done at set by senior Hannah Meyer, Moon has eyes on incorporating newcomer national teamer Rachel Gazzaniga along with sophomore Alex Bonaguidi for increased action, with new addition Madison Haaland-Ford also in the mix at the center slot.
ON THE ATTACK
In the field, USC is fueled by an arsenal of attackers along with deft defenders to go along with its center play. Molly Glad, Abigail Hendrix, Emma Lawson, Jelena Sarac and Honnie Vandeweghe-O'Shea are tabbed for duty on the defensive end, while also set to take aim offensively from the perimeter. USC's onslaught of attackers features newcomers Meghan McAninch and Ava Stryker to go along with veterans Alejandra Aznar, Julia Janov and Fanni Muzsnay, who combined for 88 goals last season. As freshmen, attackers Maggie Johnson and Morgan Netherton pinned up a combine 34 goals. All versatile tools in Moon's box of tricks, the USC attacking core also includes Brooklyn Aguilera, Hannah Carver, Caitlin Cohen, Sally McCarthy, and Isabel Zimmerman.
BACK IN ACTION
USC boasts nine returners from USC's 2023 NCAA roster, which reached the NCAA final in the program's 19th straight trip to the postseason to finish with a 29-3 overall record. Maggie Johnson and Morgan Netherton were freshmen on that squad, bringing back key lessons learned along with the other seven members of the returning group that was on deck for that NCAA journey — Brooklyn Aguilera, Alejandra Aznar, Molly Glad, Abigail Hendrix, Hannah Meyer, Carolyne Stern, Honnie Vandeweghe-O'Shea, Jada Ward and Isabel Zimmerman.
CAPTAIN'S SALUTE
Goalie Carolyne Stern is joined by Julia Janov and Maggie Johnson as team captains for 2024. All were instrumental in USC's NCAA run last season, and Janov and Stern are now entering their fourth season playing together. That combined experience and leadership ability gives coach Moon the utmost confidence in his three captains, who are charged with setting the tone and the course for the Trojans in 2024.
CAGE FIGHTERS
A 2023 All-American, Carolyne Stern enters her final season between the pipes. She's been a steadying and reliable force in the cage for USC, thanks in part to the talented younger goalies in the water with her every day. Sophomore Jada Ward and redshirt sophomore Laine Hourigan both served as outstanding backups for Stern last year, and they are joined by two true freshmen this season in Anna Reed and Lauren Schneider to round out a formidable goalkeeping corps for the 2024 Trojans. In her first weekend of work, Stern surged to now rank as USC's No. 6 all-time saves leader, now with 403 career saves to her name as a Trojan.
LAST SEASON
In 2023, USC went 28-3 overall in a season that saw the Trojans make a 19th consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. USC posted a perfect 6-0 mark in MPSF competition before taking second place in the MPSF Tournament and later reaching a fifth consecutive NCAA final, where USC lost to Stanford. At the close of the season, Tilly Kearns was selected as a finalist for the Peter J. Cutino Award for the second straight season. She also was a First Team All-American along with Paige Hauschild and Bayley Weber. They were joined by fellow All-Americans Carolyne Stern (Honorable Mention) and Grace Tehaney (Honorable Mention). Head coach Marko Pintaric was named MPSF Coach of the Year for the third consecutive season, and Weber was named MPSF Player of the Year. •
No. 5 USC gets back to action this weekend with a visit to UC Irvine. The Trojans (4-2) will face the No. 10 Anteaters (4-5) at 12 p.m. on Saturday (Feb. 17) at Anteater Aquatics Complex.
RANKINGS
USC opened up 2024 tied at No. 1 in the national rankings. After the first week of action, the Trojans stood alone at the top. In the latest round of rankings (released Feb. 14), USC currently stands tied at No. 5 in the nation.
LAST ACTION
In USC's most recent competition, the Trojans finished fourth at the Triton Invitational.
#1 USC 20, Concordia 3
USC peeled out to a 14-0 lead on the Eagles, with Alejandra Aznar lacing in three goals in that run while Meghan McAninch, Rachel Gazzaniga and Alex Bonaguidi each contributed a pair for the Trojan cause. CUI got on the board just before halftime hit, making it a 14-1 scoreline at the break. After Carolyne Stern tapped out of the cage with three saves and just one goal allowed, Jada Ward and Laine Hourigan shared time between the piped in the second half. USC's scoring onslaught tapered off, but the defense remained stingy. Aznar and Gazzaniga would each punch in a couple more scores to net career highs with five and four goals, respectively, to lead a pack of 10 Trojans on the scoresheet for the day.
#1 USC 16, #10 Michigan 9
USC was propelled by a career-high six goals from freshman Ava Stryker in a 16-9 win over the Wolverines. Goalie Stern was just short of her own career high, making 14 saves along the way as USC never trailed in its push to score a spot in the semis. Gazzaniga and veterans Hannah Meyer and Julia Janov each scored a pair of goals for USC in the win.
SEMIFINAL: #5 Fresno State 8, #1 USC 7
USC gripped a three-goal lead in the second period before the Bulldogs bit back. Goals from Stryker and Aznar had USC up 5-2, but Fresno State clawed back to make it a 5-4 margin at halftime. Three straight Bulldog blasts swung the momentum and the scoreline in Fresno State's favor, forcing USC into comeback bode. A Stern stop and a Janov score had USC one back at 7-6 at the close of the third, but the Bulldogs would continue to fend off the Trojans. Gazzaniga's third of the day got USC within one at 8-7 late in the game, and the Trojans were unable to find an equalizer.
THIRD-PLACE GAME: #4 Hawai'i 10, #1 USC 6
The Rainbow Wahine struck first before USC's Honnie Vandeweghe-O'Shea delivered an equalizer, but Hawai'i went back-to-back next to take a two-goal advantage. Julia Janov broke that up with a 6-on-5 score after Hannah Meyer drew an exclusion, and then Hawai'i hit again to hold a 4-2 lead after eight minutes of action. The Trojans would come up empty in the next period while the Rainbow Wahine knocked in a pair to lead it 6-2 at halftime. USC went into a five-goal hole early in the third but then generated some offense when Janov earned a 5-meter penalty shot the Aznar deposited before Abigail Hendrix hit on a lob to get it to 7-4. Again, Hawai'i had a response, and USC was down 8-4 entering the fourth. Janov punched up two more goals for the Trojans in the final frame, only to see Hawai'i score a 5-meter penalty shot and then add another en route to the 10-6 decision.
BY THE NUMBERS
Just six games deep into 2024, USC's balanced scoring charge is led by Rachel Gazzaniga with 13 goals, followed by Julia Janov with 12 and Ava Stryker with 10. In all, 15 Trojans have scored at least one goal to date, including four with their first goals as Trojans. Defensively, three USC goalies have factored into the 4-2 start, led by senior Carolyne Stern. Stern is averaging 10.2 saves per game thanks in part to back-to-back double-digit save outings during the Triton Invite. USC's other two goalies — Laine Hourigan and Jada Ward — are in their second season of action as Trojans. Overall, the group averages 10.0 saves per game to anchor a Trojan defense giving up just 6.7 goals per game. USC has outscored opponents 83-40 so far, while holding teams scoreless in five different periods to date.
OVERSEAS ACHIEVERS
International experience has been key to USC's development of versatile players. The USA pipeline has crafted a number of outstanding Trojans — past, present and future, including Team USA's Emily Ausmus, who deferred her freshman enrollment at USC in order to train for the 2024 Olympics. Many other U.S. pipeline products will be capped up for USC this season, including Morgan Netherton, Rachel Gazzaniga and Ava Stryker, who competed for the USA at Junior Worlds this past summer. Abigail Hendrix, Maggie Johnson, Meghan McAninch, Hannah Meyer, Carolyne Stern, Honnie Vandeweghe-O'Shea, Deming Wyer and Isabel Zimmerman also have capped up for the USA at the Youth level. Outside of the United States, several returning Trojans have also gathered international experience with other nations — Alejandra Aznar (Spain), Julia Janov (Slovakia), Emma Lawson (Canada), Fanni Muzsnay (Hungary), Jelena Sarac (Serbia).
CENTER STAGE
USC is without one decorated Trojan international for 2024, as Olympian and Cutino Award finalist Tilly Kearns is training with Australia for the 2024 Olympic Games. That leaves a void at the center position for this season, but head coach Casey Moon has tapped into his handy toolkit in order to adjust. In addition to the proven work done at set by senior Hannah Meyer, Moon has eyes on incorporating newcomer national teamer Rachel Gazzaniga along with sophomore Alex Bonaguidi for increased action, with new addition Madison Haaland-Ford also in the mix at the center slot.
ON THE ATTACK
In the field, USC is fueled by an arsenal of attackers along with deft defenders to go along with its center play. Molly Glad, Abigail Hendrix, Emma Lawson, Jelena Sarac and Honnie Vandeweghe-O'Shea are tabbed for duty on the defensive end, while also set to take aim offensively from the perimeter. USC's onslaught of attackers features newcomers Meghan McAninch and Ava Stryker to go along with veterans Alejandra Aznar, Julia Janov and Fanni Muzsnay, who combined for 88 goals last season. As freshmen, attackers Maggie Johnson and Morgan Netherton pinned up a combine 34 goals. All versatile tools in Moon's box of tricks, the USC attacking core also includes Brooklyn Aguilera, Hannah Carver, Caitlin Cohen, Sally McCarthy, and Isabel Zimmerman.
BACK IN ACTION
USC boasts nine returners from USC's 2023 NCAA roster, which reached the NCAA final in the program's 19th straight trip to the postseason to finish with a 29-3 overall record. Maggie Johnson and Morgan Netherton were freshmen on that squad, bringing back key lessons learned along with the other seven members of the returning group that was on deck for that NCAA journey — Brooklyn Aguilera, Alejandra Aznar, Molly Glad, Abigail Hendrix, Hannah Meyer, Carolyne Stern, Honnie Vandeweghe-O'Shea, Jada Ward and Isabel Zimmerman.
CAPTAIN'S SALUTE
Goalie Carolyne Stern is joined by Julia Janov and Maggie Johnson as team captains for 2024. All were instrumental in USC's NCAA run last season, and Janov and Stern are now entering their fourth season playing together. That combined experience and leadership ability gives coach Moon the utmost confidence in his three captains, who are charged with setting the tone and the course for the Trojans in 2024.
CAGE FIGHTERS
A 2023 All-American, Carolyne Stern enters her final season between the pipes. She's been a steadying and reliable force in the cage for USC, thanks in part to the talented younger goalies in the water with her every day. Sophomore Jada Ward and redshirt sophomore Laine Hourigan both served as outstanding backups for Stern last year, and they are joined by two true freshmen this season in Anna Reed and Lauren Schneider to round out a formidable goalkeeping corps for the 2024 Trojans. In her first weekend of work, Stern surged to now rank as USC's No. 6 all-time saves leader, now with 403 career saves to her name as a Trojan.
LAST SEASON
In 2023, USC went 28-3 overall in a season that saw the Trojans make a 19th consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. USC posted a perfect 6-0 mark in MPSF competition before taking second place in the MPSF Tournament and later reaching a fifth consecutive NCAA final, where USC lost to Stanford. At the close of the season, Tilly Kearns was selected as a finalist for the Peter J. Cutino Award for the second straight season. She also was a First Team All-American along with Paige Hauschild and Bayley Weber. They were joined by fellow All-Americans Carolyne Stern (Honorable Mention) and Grace Tehaney (Honorable Mention). Head coach Marko Pintaric was named MPSF Coach of the Year for the third consecutive season, and Weber was named MPSF Player of the Year. •
USC Water Polo's Emily Ausmus | Trojans Live 3.24.25
Monday, March 24
Women's Water Polo - Stanford 8, USC 3: Highlights (5/10/24)
Friday, May 10
Julia Janov - 2024 NCAA Women's Water Polo Banquet speech
Thursday, May 09
Women's Water Polo - Stanford 12, USC 11: Highlights (4/28/24)
Sunday, April 28
