No. 2 USC Men’s Water Polo Overtakes Stanford In OT To Claim Third At Overnght MPSF Invite

Sunday, September 21

Westwood, Calif.

1:00 p.m.

USC

10-1

Stanford

7-2

Stanford

Southern California

Robert López Duart takes a shot vs. Long Beach State at Uytengsu Aquatics Center

Photo by: John McGillen

No. 2 USC Men’s Water Polo Overtakes Stanford In OT To Claim Third At Overnght MPSF Invite

September 21, 2025 | Men's Water Polo

Box Score

Robert López Duart scores five goals, Charlie Mills makes 13 saves to help USC to 14-12 victory.

WESTWOOD, CALIF. — The No. 2 USC men's water polo team dug in during overtime to claim a 14-12 win over No. 4 Stanford and take third place at the Overnght MPSF Invitational today in Westwood, Calif. The Trojans had led by three at halftime before the Cardinal cranked up the pressure, forcing USC into overtime for the first time this year. The Trojans proved up to the test, with Jack Vort, Andrej Grgurevic and Robert López Duart all scoring during OT while the defense stood its ground to anchor the win. USC is now 10-1 overall.

Robert López Duart had the hot hand for the Trojans in this one, ringing up a career-high five goals — a count he also hit last year to the day versus Stanford — while Jack Vort also matched his career high with a hat trick. Both Trojans tallied key goals in that OT stretch, but it was Andrej Grgurevic's goal at 1:52 off a feed from Vort that proved the game-winner as it turned a 12-12 lockup into a 13-12 USC advantage. A steal against Stanford's next possession and a takeaway by goalie Charlie Mills — who finished one off his career high with 13 saves on the day — kept USC in control while López Duart scored in the final second to lock up the 14-12 win.

The Trojans had opened up the game strong, netting the first three goals on blasts from Stefan Branković, López Duart and Efe Naipoglu. Stanford broke through midway through the first, but Vort responded in kind to get USC back to a three-goal lead. The Cardinal could get no closer than two goals away from the Trojans during the second, and USC gripped a 7-5 lead at halftime. Things started tightening up in the second half, though. Stanford snarled things up at 7-7 with early goals in the third and would find equalizer after equalizer every time the Trojans inched out ahead. USC was up 10-9 with 4:00 left in regulation, but Stanford sandwiched goals around a Vort score within a minute's span, leaving it knotted at 11-11 with 2:45 to go. That lockup held through the end of regulation to bring up overtime, where the Trojans got in their groove with a winning move to victory.

NEXT: USC has a good stretch of action upcoming this week. The Trojans have an exhibition game against Shanghai Water Polo Club at 5 p.m. on Wednesday (Sept. 24) at Uytengsu Aquatics Center before hitting the road for two nonconference games. USC visits Pacific for a 7 p.m. clash on Friday (Sept. 26) in Stockton and then has a 12 p.m. meeting at UC Davis on Sunday (Sept. 28).

NOTABLE:
- With five goals today, Robert López Duart matched his career high — last achieved also against Stanford on this same date in 2024.
- With three goals today, Jack Vort tied his career high.
- With their goals today, Robert López Duart (five goals) and Mihailo Vukazić (two goals) have scored in all 11 USC games this season.
- With 13 saves today, Charlie Mills recorded his third double-digit save outing of the season and sixth of his USC career.

2025 OVERNGHT MPSF INVITATIONAL

THIRD-PLACE GAME
#2 USC 14, #4 Stanford 12 (OT)
Sunday, Sept. 21 | Spieker Aquatics Center (Westwood, Calif.)
USC 4 - 3 - 2 - 2 — 1 - 2 = 14
STAN 1 - 4 - 4 - 2 — 0 - 1 = 12

SCORING:
USC — Robert López Duart 5, Jack Vort 3, Mihailo Vukazić 2, Stefan Branković, Andrej Grgurevic, Strahinja Krstić, Efe Naipoglu.
STAN — Gianpiero Di Martire 6, Ben Forer 4, Alex Gheorghe, Botond Balogh.

SAVES: Charles Mills (USC) 13, West Temkin (STAN) 16.