Sunday, April 28
Bloomington, Ind.
8:45 AM
USC
18-8
11
vs
12
Stanford
18-6
1
2
3
4
F
Southern California
3
4
3
1
11
Stanford
1
2
7
2
12
Team Stats
USC
STAN
Shots
30
25
Goals
11
12
Assists
8
8
Points
19
20
Exclusions
6
10
Steals
7
6
Sprints
4
0
1
Ava Stryker
7:02
Sophia Sanders
5:05
Rachel Gazzaniga
4:48
Ava Stryker
3:48
2
Ava Stryker
6:33
Abigail Hendrix
5:39
Christina Hicks
5:17
Hannah Meyer
3:41
Julia Janov
2:53
Sophia Sanders
1:31
3
Sophia Sanders
6:15
Alejandra Aznar
5:47
Alejandra Aznar
5:13
Christina Hicks
5:02
Christina Hicks
3:59
Eleanor Facey
3:22
Ava Stryker
2:53
Sophie Wallace
2:25
Christina Hicks
0:58
Celeste Wijnbelt
0:01
4
Ava Stryker
6:02
Kamryn Barone
5:44
Sophia Sanders
2:57
Game Leaders
Shots
9
Goals
5
Assists
3
Points
8
Shots
6
Goals
2
Assists
2
Points
4
Shots
5
Goals
1
Assists
0
Points
1
Shots
4
Goals
1
Assists
1
Points
2
Players Mentioned
ATT
/ Women's Water PoloC
/ Women's Water Polo
DEF
/ Women's Water PoloATT
/ Women's Water Polo
C
/ Women's Water Polo
G
/ Women's Water PoloATT
/ Women's Water PoloPhoto by: Nicole Hourigan
USC Women’s Water Polo Finishes Fourth At MPSF Tournament
April 28, 2024 | Women's Water Polo
Trojans fall 12-11 to Stanford in Bloomington, Ind.
BLOOMINGTON, IND. — The No. 5 USC women's water polo team finished fourth at the MPSF Tournament after taking a tight 12-11 loss to No. 4 Stanford in today's third-place game in Bloomington, Ind. Now 18-8 overall, the Trojans await the announcement of the NCAA Tournament bracket, taking place tomorrow (April 29).
USC had a powerful start to the game, controlling things on both ends of the pool and rattling off four straight goals. Rachel Gazzaniga lit the fuse with a bar-in blast to net a 2-1 lead for the Trojans, and then fellow freshman Ava Stryker faked and fired for a 3-1 lead that held through the end of the first. Stryker kept things clicking for the Trojans with her third goal of the day, and then Abigail Hendrix sailed in a sweet one to get USC ahead 5-1. Stanford managed a couple close-range goals around two 6-on-5 strikes from Hannah Meyer and Julia Janov, and it was a 7-3 USC lead at halftime.
The Cardinal capitalized with a nearside goal to open the second half, only to see Alejandra Aznar blaze in a no-look backhand and then finish off a counterattack to take the Trojans ahead 9-4. Stanford would hit its stride soon after, however, scoring three straight to get within two. Stryker interrupted things with a rebound and savvy finish to make it 10-7, and then Stanford scored another three in a row to level things 10-10 entering the fourth. Gazzaniga got USC up on a 6-on-5 a couple minutes in, and Aznar found Stryker for her fifth goal of the day to nudge the Trojans back on top with an 11-10 advantage. Stanford would equalize again at 5:44, and later got a fortunate goal to go in on a power play to lead it 12-11 with 2:57 remaining. Try as they may, the Trojans were unable to bring things even to force an overtime opportunity.
NEXT:
USC now awaits the announcement of the 2024 NCAA Tournament field, which will be released Monday (April 29) at 5 p.m. on ncaa.com
NOTABLE:
- With a game-high five goals today, FR Ava Stryker tied her career high.
- With her two goals today, SR Alejandra Aznar now has 143 career goals to rank No. 18 all-time at USC in scoring.
- With her goal today, SR Julia Janov continues to lead the team with goals scored in 23 different games this season.
MPSF TOURNAMENT
THIRD-PLACE GAME
[3] Stanford 12, [4] USC 11
Friday, April 26 | Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatics Center (Bloomington, Ind.)
USC 3 - 4 - 3 - 1 = 11
STAN 1 - 2 - 7 - 2 = 12
SCORING:
USC — Ava Stryker 5, Alejandra Aznar 2, Rachel Gazzaniga, Abigail Hendrix, Hannah Meyer, Julia Janov.
STAN —Christina Hicks 4, Sophia Sanders 4, Eleanor Facey, Kamryn Barone, Sophie Wallace, Celeste Wjinbelt.
SAVES: Carolyne Stern (USC) 6, Maya Avital (STAN) 13.
USC had a powerful start to the game, controlling things on both ends of the pool and rattling off four straight goals. Rachel Gazzaniga lit the fuse with a bar-in blast to net a 2-1 lead for the Trojans, and then fellow freshman Ava Stryker faked and fired for a 3-1 lead that held through the end of the first. Stryker kept things clicking for the Trojans with her third goal of the day, and then Abigail Hendrix sailed in a sweet one to get USC ahead 5-1. Stanford managed a couple close-range goals around two 6-on-5 strikes from Hannah Meyer and Julia Janov, and it was a 7-3 USC lead at halftime.
The Cardinal capitalized with a nearside goal to open the second half, only to see Alejandra Aznar blaze in a no-look backhand and then finish off a counterattack to take the Trojans ahead 9-4. Stanford would hit its stride soon after, however, scoring three straight to get within two. Stryker interrupted things with a rebound and savvy finish to make it 10-7, and then Stanford scored another three in a row to level things 10-10 entering the fourth. Gazzaniga got USC up on a 6-on-5 a couple minutes in, and Aznar found Stryker for her fifth goal of the day to nudge the Trojans back on top with an 11-10 advantage. Stanford would equalize again at 5:44, and later got a fortunate goal to go in on a power play to lead it 12-11 with 2:57 remaining. Try as they may, the Trojans were unable to bring things even to force an overtime opportunity.
NEXT:
USC now awaits the announcement of the 2024 NCAA Tournament field, which will be released Monday (April 29) at 5 p.m. on ncaa.com
NOTABLE:
- With a game-high five goals today, FR Ava Stryker tied her career high.
- With her two goals today, SR Alejandra Aznar now has 143 career goals to rank No. 18 all-time at USC in scoring.
- With her goal today, SR Julia Janov continues to lead the team with goals scored in 23 different games this season.
MPSF TOURNAMENT
THIRD-PLACE GAME
[3] Stanford 12, [4] USC 11
Friday, April 26 | Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatics Center (Bloomington, Ind.)
USC 3 - 4 - 3 - 1 = 11
STAN 1 - 2 - 7 - 2 = 12
SCORING:
USC — Ava Stryker 5, Alejandra Aznar 2, Rachel Gazzaniga, Abigail Hendrix, Hannah Meyer, Julia Janov.
STAN —Christina Hicks 4, Sophia Sanders 4, Eleanor Facey, Kamryn Barone, Sophie Wallace, Celeste Wjinbelt.
SAVES: Carolyne Stern (USC) 6, Maya Avital (STAN) 13.
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
