No. 1 USC Women’s Water Polo Nets 17-11 Win At No. 6 Cal

BERKELEY, CALIF. — The No. 1 USC women's water polo team had a high-powered first half to create space against host California on the way to a 17-11 MPSF victory over the Golden Bears today in Berkeley. USC seniors Denise Mammolito and Maud Megens had the hot hands for the Trojans, firing off five goals apiece to keep USC on track to victory. The Trojans improve to 7-0 overall in taking a 1-0 start to MPSF play.

Offense was the name of the game in the first frame, with USC having to find answers to early goals by Cal. The Bears were up 3-2 before USC pieced together a rally into the lead, with Maud Megens equalizing on a 6-on-5 before Hannah Meyer converted at the post and Denise Mammolito smashed in her second of the day to go up 5-3. Cal got one to go out of set next, but Megens had a laser lying in wait as she fired off a bar-in blast to lift USC ahead 6-4 by the end of the first. The Trojans stayed hot in the second, pouring out six straight goals before the Bears finally scored 12 seconds before halftime to make it a 12-5 USC lead at  the break. In the second half, Cal scored two quick ones before Megens issued her fifth goal, and USC would stay the course to victory as Kelsey McIntosh and Mireia Guiral also joined the scoresheet en route to the final 17-11 Trojan victory.

USC has another test again Cal tomorrow (March 21), lining up for as second MPSF clash against the Bears at 1 p.m. at Cal's Spieker Aquatics Complex.

#1 USC 17, #6 California 11
March 20, 2021 | Spieker Aquatics Complex (Berkeley, Calif.)
USC  6 - 6 - 1 - 4 = 17
CAL  4 - 1 - 3 - 3 = 11

SCORING: 
USC — Denise Mammolito 5, Maud Megens 5, Verica Bakoc 2, Hannah Meyer, Mireia Guiral, Bayley Weber, Kelsey McIntosh, Téa Poljak.
CAL — Cecily Turner 3, Claire Sonne 2, Brigit Mulder, Grace Raisin, Carson Broad, Kitty Lynn Joustra, Maryn Dempsey, Reagan Whitney.

SAVES: Holly Parker (USC) 7, Cassidy Ball (CAL) 2, Isabel Williams (CAL) 4.