No. 1 USC Women’s Water Polo Heats Up For 15-11 Win At No. 9 Arizona State

TEMPE, ARIZ. —  The No. 1 USC women's water polo team kept host No. 9 Arizona State at bay with help from six goals scored in the second period to power up for a final 15-11 win today in Tempe. The road win keeps the Trojans perfect in MPSF play, now at 16-2 overall and 5-0 in conference action.

USC scored the first three goals of the game, but the Sun Devils would edge to within one by the end of a high-scoring first period. USC's Paige Hauschild tallied two in that first stretch to help USC lead it 5-4. That would be as close as ASU would get, though, with the Trojans punching up six more goals in the second. Back-to-back goals from Bayley Weber and Tilly Kearns crafted a 10-6 lead, and USC would grip an 11-8 advantage by halftime. That blast from Kearns marked her 50th goal of the year.

Defense tightened up on both ends in the second half, but USC would still break through four more times. USC's lead grew to its largest after Honnie Vandeweghe and Bayley Weber knocked in their second goals around a save from second-half goalie Erin Tharp, lifting USC ahead 13-8. ASU got two of its own to go next, and it was 13-10 entering the fourth. There, Mireia Guiral found Sophia Lucas  for her second strike of the day, and Alejandra Aznar delivered her third on a spicy crosscage finish that made it a 15-11 final.

Next up for the Trojans is their final regular-season game the year, pitting host USC against crosstown rival UCLA at 1 p.m. on Saturday (April 16) at Uytengsu Aquatics Center. The game will be preceded by a Senior Day ceremony to honor USC's three outgoing Trojans — Sabrina Garabet, Sophia Lucas and Erin Tharp.

#1 USC 15, #9 Arizona State 11
April 9, 2022 | Mona Plummer Aquatic Center (Tempe, Ariz.)
USC    5  - 6  - 2 - 2 = 15
ASU    4 - 4 - 2 - 1 = 11

SCORING:
USC — Alejandra Aznar 3, Paige Hauschild 2, Sophia Lucas 2, Mireia Guiral 2, Bayley Weber 2, Honnie Vandeweghe 2, Grace Tehaney, Tilly Kearns.
ASU — Vanda Baksa 4, Bori Kekesi 2, Luca Petovary, Amira Van Buren, Lara Kiss, Emma Fraser, Stevilyn Griffin.

SAVES: Carolyne Stern (USC) 1 [1st half], Erin Tharp (USC) 2  [2nd half], Itzahiana Baca (ASU) 7.