No. 3 Seed USC Women’s Water Polo Handles Harvard In 18-7 NCAA Quarterfinal Victory

Friday, May 9

Indianapolis, Ind.

3:00 p.m. PT

USC

28-4

Harvard

26-7

Harvard

Southern California

Photo by: Nicole Hourigan

No. 3 Seed USC Women’s Water Polo Handles Harvard In 18-7 NCAA Quarterfinal Victory

May 09, 2025 | Women's Water Polo

Box Score NCAA BRACKET

Trojans will face UCLA in the NCAA semifinals tomorrow in Indianapolis.

INDIANAPOLIS — The No. 3 seed USC women's water polo team took control of things early and never looked back in tacking up an 18-7 win over Harvard in today's NCAA quarterfinals at the 2025 National Collegiate Championship at IU Natatorium in Indianapolis. Nine Trojans scored in a well-rounded win that punches a ticket to the NCAA semifinals for USC, which is now 28-4 overall. USC is looking to capture the program's eight national title in its 21st consecutive trip to the NCAA tourney.

Up against first-time NCAA qualifier Harvard, USC unraveled an early 1-1 snarled score with a three-goal surge and later beat the buzzer on a full-length fling from Tilly Kearns as the Trojans led things 5-1 on goals from five different players. Kearns punched up her second goal to take over as USC's No. 3 all-time career scorer and next a 6-2 USC advantage to open the second period of action. The Trojans proceeded to pour out four more goals in the half while allowing Harvard just a single score before halftime hit with USC gripping a 10-3 lead. Harvard's lone goal in the second came on a backhand strike out of set. Kearns promptly earned a 6-on-5 for her Trojans soon after, and Meghan McAninch found Sinia Plotz for a sizzler that sparked another three-goal USC rally. Morgan Netherton found Ava Stryker on the move for a counterattack goal with 1:00 left for halftime. Emily Ausmus snuffed a Crimson power play with a takeaway, and then it was Plotz who returned the favor to McAninch for a counterattack finish that topped of the half as a 10-3 Trojan edge.

A 5-meter penalty shot for Harvard kicked off the third, and it was a more even battle in those next eight minutes as the teams went goal-for-goal. Ausmus plugged in a pair to get to a hat trick on the night, and Stryker also found her third during that stretch. It was a 13-6 scoreline entering the fourth, prompting the Trojans to pin up another powerful frame. Alma Yaacobi issued back-to-back blasts for the Trojan cause, and then Maggie Johnson followed suit with a couple savvy fake-and-fires to built a 17-6 USC lead with two minutes to go. Harvard found the top corner next to break through with 1:35 left, but it was Ava Knepper who had the final word with a strike that topped off the quarterfinal as an 18-7 USC victory.

NEXT:
USC will face UCLA in the NCAA semifinals tomorrow at 2 p.m. ET at IU Natatorium in Indianapolis, Ind.

NOTABLE:
- With two goals today, SR Tilly Kearns moved up to rank No. 3 all-time in scoring at USC, now with 256 career goals.
- Kearns now has scored 94 goals this season, ranking fourth in single-season scoring at USC.
- With two goals today, JR Sinia Plotz tied her USC career high.
- With three goals today, FR Emily Ausmus has scored in all 32 games this season with multiple-goal games in 31.
- Ausmus also has extended her USC single-season scoring record to 112.
- With three goals today, SO Ava Stryker has scored 69 goals this season — 11th most in a single season by a Trojan.
- USC is now 42-15 all-time in NCAA Tournament competition in its 21 appearances.
- USC will play in the NCAA semifinals for the 20th time in program history.

2025 NCAA TOURNAMENT

QUARTERFINAL
[3] USC 18, Harvard 7
May 9, 2025 | IU Natatorium (Indianapolis, Ind.)
USC 5 - 5 - 3 - 5 = 18
HAR 2 - 1 - 3 - 1 = 7

SCORING:
USC — Ava Stryker 3, Emily Ausmus 3, Sinia Plotz 2, Tilly Kearns 2, Ava Knepper 2, Alma Yaacobi 2, Maggie Johnson 2, Rachel Gazzaniga, Meghan McAninch.
HAR — Ruby Hodge 3, Maya O'Dea 2, Emma Gilbert, Erin Kim.

SAVES: Anna Reed (USC) 6, Orli Cooper (HAR) 9, Sutchie Ofori-Nyako (HAR) 0.