LOS ANGELES – After clawing its way back from a three-goal deficit, the Cal men's water polo team entered the final 30 seconds of its MPSF Championships semifinal against host USC with a chance to provide a moment that had the potential to stand as one of the most unforgettable of the 2018 season.

Tied at 9 with time running out, junior Safak Simsek stepped to the forefront and delivered that moment in the biggest spot possible, firing a left-handed shot that found the upper corner of the goal with six seconds left as the No. 3 seed Golden Bears claimed a stunning 10-9 victory over the No. 2 seeded and No. 1-ranked Trojans at Uytengsu Aquatics Center.

With the victory, Cal (18-5) earned a spot in Sunday's MPSF championship game and the Bears will get a chance for a Big Splash rematch when they square off with No. 1 seed Stanford at 1 p.m. The match will be broadcast live on Pac-12 Networks and the winner will earn the MPSF's automatic bid to the NCAA Championships that take place Dec. 1-2 at Stanford.

A back and forth battle looked in peril for Cal late in the third period. A goal by Hannes Daube with 2:21 left in the quarter put USC (28-2) ahead 9-6 and left the Bears chasing a deficit entering the final 10 minutes of the match.

After a power play goal by Vassilis Tzavaras left Cal down by two heading to the fourth period, things got a bit closer when the Bears opened the fourth period with another man-up goal by Simsek. This one, a cross-cage strike by the junior from Istanbul, Turkey, narrowed the deficit to just 9-8 with 7:39 remaining.

Cal's defense took over from there. A steal at mid-tank by Johnny Hooper led to a game-tying goal as the senior found fellow upperclassman Odysseas Masmanidis in transition and the man from Greece converted, evening the score at 9 with 5:25 left in the fourth period.

That's where the score stayed until the final seconds of the match as both defenses put the clamps on to keep the score tied. USC got its chance to take the lead late but Cal goalkeeper Bernardo Carelli was there for the biggest of his nine saves as he turned the Trojan chance away and gave the Bears a chance to call time out with one possession left.

After a bit of perimeter passing with Cal looking for space at two meters, Simsek got the ball outside with a bit of room between himself and the USC defender. He faked a few times and uncorked a shot that landed over the right shoulder of the Trojan goalkeeper to give Cal the lead. USC couldn't counter in the final six seconds and a jubilant bunch of Bears climbed out of the pool with the victory.

"After all the work we've put in throughout the year, it's always great to see who we truly are," Simsek said. "It feels great to score the last goal but I'm more proud of my teammates who worked to bring us back in the match."

Simsek, Tzavaras and Nikos Delagrammatikas led the Bears on the scoresheet with two goals apiece. Spencer Farrar, Jordan Hoover, Jack Deely and Masmanidis added one each.