Four-Goal Surge Secures Road Win for USC Women’s Water Polo At Indiana

BLOOMINGTON, IND. — The No. 1 USC women's water polo team unleashed a four-goal rally to turn a tied game into one that the Trojans could control, beating host No. 15 Indiana 10-8 today in USC's first-ever visit to Bloomington, Ind. Denise Mammolito scored four goals for the Trojans, and goalie Holly Parker hauled in a career-high 12 saves to help hold off the Hoosiers. USC stays undefeated with the win at 11-0 and 5-0 in MPSF play. The Trojans and Hoosiers have another MPSF meeting tomorrow (April 3) at 10 a.m. PT at Indiana's Counsilman Billingsley Aquatic Center.

An opening stalemate was cracked by Denise Mammolito eight seconds before the close of the first period, as the senior finished off a USC 6-on-5 to take a 1-0 lead. Indiana would get a long-range buzzer-beater to go, though, leaving it snarled up 1-1 entering the second. There, USC found its scoring touch, netting an perfect lob from Verica Bakoc for the lead. Indiana answered back with a score out of set, but it was all USC for the remainder of the frame. Bakoc went crosscage for the go-ahead again, and then Mireia Guiral earned a 5-meter penalty shot for the Trojans. Mammolito punched it in, and then would score on a solo mission 90 seconds later to get her third goal of the half. Kelsey McIntosh knocked in a 6-on-5 finish 11 seconds before halftime, making it fourth straight goals for USC and a 6-2 advantage at the break.

In the third, Indiana would carve USC's lead down to two in sandwiching two-goal surges around goals from Bakoc and Julia Janov. In the fourth, Indiana got within one goal, making it 9-8 with 5:33 on the clock. Mammolito would get USC a little breathing room with a 6-on-5 strike for a 10-8 lead with 4:55 to go. That margin would hold as Parker and the Trojan defense held the Hoosiers silent for the duration. Parker squashed an Indiana 5-meter penalty shot along the way to the Trojan victory to help build out her career-high 12-save day.

#1 USC 10, #15 Indiana 8
April 2, 2021 | Counsilman Billingsley Aquatic Center (Bloomington, Ind.)
USC  1 - 5 - 2 - 2 = 10
IU      1 - 1 - 4 - 2 = 8

SCORING:
USC — Denise Mammolito 4, Verica Bakoc 3, Kelsey McIntosh 2, Julia Janov.
IU — Izzy Mandema 3, Mary Askew 2, Kallie White 2, Lanna Debow.

SAVES: Holly Parker (USC) 12, Mary Askew (IU) 6.