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USC Moves Into MPSF Semis
Nov. 28, 2008
MALIBU, CALIF. -- The top-ranked USC men's water polo team extended its undefeated run through 2008 with an 8-6 win over UC Irvine today in the first round of the MPSF Tournament. Vying for an automatic berth in the coming NCAA Championships, the Trojans are also aiming for a sixth conference tournament championship. With today's win over the eighth-seeded Anteaters, USC moves into tomorrow's 1:30 p.m. semifinal against UCLA. USC's overall record on the year stands at a perfect 25-0. In today's first-round clash at Pepperdine's Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool, USC jumped out to a 3-0 lead over UC Irvine, grabbing goals from J.W. Krumpholz, Matt Sagehorn and Anthony Artukovich while the Trojans defense shut out the Anteaters in the first period. UC Irvine would get on the board on its first possession of the second period, leaving the game at a 3-1 USC lead by halftime. The Trojans came out with another powerful period in the third. While the USC defense again clamped down on the Anteaters, Shea Buckner, Justin Rappel, Devon Borisoff and Jordan Thompson all got in on the scoring action for the Trojans. That 4-0 run carried USC ahead 7-1 entering the fourth. UC Irvine broke through the USC defensive stand far too late. The Anteaters managed four straight goals to cut USC's lead to 7-5 before a strike from Buckner made it 8-5 in the final minute. UCI got one last score on a late-game penalty shot to round things out as an 8-6 USC victory that punched the Trojans' ticket into the MPSF semifinals.
USC 8, UC Irvine 6 USC 3 - 0 - 4 - 1 -- 8 UCI 0 - 1 - 0 - 5 -- 6 SCORING: SAVES: Joel Dennerly (USC) 7, Benjamin Weil (USC) 4, Matt Johnson (UCI) 5, Erik Evered (UCI) 1 |
