USC’s Verica Bakoc Earns First MPSF Player of the Week Honors

Days after drilling a career-high seven goals in a single game, USC senior Verica Bakoc has landed her first career selection as MPSF Player of the Week. In back-to-back MPSF wins at California over the weekend, Bakoc helped her top-ranked Trojans stay undefeated on the year with her offensive output.

In the first matchup with the Golden Bears, Bakoc delivered two goals on three shots and added a steal as USC beat Cal 17-11. The next day, in a tighter affair with the Bears, Bakoc was the spark USC needed. The left-handed senior sizzled in seven goals on nine shots, more than doubling her previous career high of three goals and scoring the third-most goals in a single game by a Trojan with her seven-goal onslaught in USC's 12-9 victory over Cal.

With 19 goals already this season, Bakoc has eclipsed her previous season best of 14 goals. She is the second Trojans to earn MPSF Player of the Week honors this season, following senior Maud Megens' selection on Feb. 16.

Now 8-0 overall and 2-0 in MPSF play, USC turns to host San José State this weekend at Uytengsu Aquatics Center, with a 1 p.m. game set for Saturday (March 27) and an 11 a.m. tilt on Sunday (March 28) for USC's two tests against the Spartans.