No. 2 USC Men’s Water Polo Set To Play For Third At Overnght MPSF Invitational

Saturday, September 19

Stanford, Calif.

10:40 a.m.

USC

5-4

San Jose State

9-0

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
San Jose State Men 2026	2	1	1	3	7
USC (M)	4	4	4	4	16

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Stanford (M)	3	3	4	0	10
USC (M)	2	0	3	3	8

Ante Jerkovic looking to pass vs San Jose State

Photo by: Ellen Levy

No. 2 USC Men’s Water Polo Set To Play For Third At Overnght MPSF Invitational

September 19, 2026 | Men's Water Polo

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

STANFORD, Calif. – The No. 2 USC men's water polo team continued play at the Overnght MPSF Invitational on Saturday with a doubleheader. The Trojans split the day with a 16-7 win over No. 11 San Jose State in the quarterfinals. USC, however, could not complete the comeback against No. 3 Stanford, falling by a score of 10-8.

#2 USC 16, #11 San Jose State 7
For just the second time this season, USC trailed to open the game. San Jose State put up two quick goals before the Trojan defense found its form and stood tall for the rest of the frame.

Apostolos Georgaras scored the Trojans' first goal of the game followed by a tally from Strahinja Krstic to knot the game up at two apiece. USC scored the next two goals to make it four straight to close out the first quarter of play.

Ben Mirisch continued the offense's hot streak and scored the first two goals of the second quarter. The Trojans added two more and held San Jose State to just one to take a 8-3 lead into the second half.

Coming out of the break, USC kept its foot on the gas, with heavy pressure on both sides of the ball. Efe Naipoglu started another four-goal scoring streak for the offense. On defense, the Trojans held the Spartans to just one as Georgaras led the way with two field blocks in the third.

With a 12-5 advantage heading into the fourth, USC finished the contest out strong. Taj Whitehead registered two goals and Ante Jerković and Zach Bettino each chipped in one as the Trojans punched their ticket to the semifinal game with a 16-7 victory over San Jose State.

Scoring: Conant (2), Jerković (2), López Duart (2), Mirisch (2), Whitehead (2), Georgaras (1), Nelson (1), Krstić (1), Anderson (1), Naipoglu (1), Bettino (1)

Saves: Mills (8), Harris (1)

Notables

Robert López Duart recorded his ninth straight multi-goal game of the season.
Apostolos Georgaras tallied two field blocks in the win and has now recorded at least one in three straight games.
Zach Bettino racked up a team-high five points on one goal and four assists.
Ben Mirisch and Taj Whitehead both registered the first multi-goal game of their careers with each scoring twice.
11 different players found the back of the cage, with five recording multi-goal outings.
Seven different players combined for eight field blocks, marking the most the Trojans have recorded in a single game since the win over Stanford on Sept. 21 at the 2025 Overnght MPSF Invitational.
The Trojan defense held the Spartans to just seven goals, marking the fourth time USC has held an opponent to single-digit scoring.
This game marked the Trojans' seventh ranked win of the season.
The Trojans' pushed their win streak to 12 straight against the Spartans.

#2 USC 8, #3 Stanford 10
The Trojans started off the scoring in their second contest of the day. Strahinja Krstic was able to score after almost three full minutes of play as both teams traded possessions. Stanford responded to tie it up before converting a penalty goal to take the lead. Ben Mirisch scored in the final minute of the frame, but the Card found the back of the cage on a second penalty to take a lead it would not give up.

Stanford put up three goals in the second quarter to hold a 6-2 advantage at the half.

USC worked to move quickly in the third with Robert López Duart scoring on the second offensive attempt. Stanford added two back-to-back tallies before Efe Naipoglu was able to score. Ante Jerković scored his first of two goals on the counter attack to cut the lead to three, but the Card held onto a 10-5 lead heading into the fourth.

Looking to mount a comeback, Luke Nelson fired a goal home with 6:40 left on the clock in the final frame. Krstic earned an exclusion and Jerković capitalized on the 6-on-5.

The attempt ultimately came up just short as the two teams once again traded possessions down the stretch with USC falling 10-8.

Scoring: Jerković (2), Nelson (2), Krstić (1), Mirisch (1), López Duart (1), Naipoglu (1)

Saves: Mills (6)

Notables

Robert López Duart has scored in all 10 games this season and recorded three points on a goal and two assists in the game.
Strahinja Krstić earned exclusions and leads the squad with 34.
The Trojan defense shutout the Card in the fourth quarter and outscored them 3-0 in the comeback attempt.
This was the fourth straight game that USC has registered two or more field blocks.

Up Next
The Trojans will face another MPSF foe in the No. 4 California Bears in the third place game which is set for Sunday at 12:30 p.m..