After seven-straight losses to Stanford, the USC women’s water polo team finally got their payback. The No. 2 Trojans (24-1, 3-0) came into the game riding a 10-game winning streak, with their only loss this season coming to the No. 1 Cardinal (16-1, 2-1) a month ago. That streak continues after the Trojans defeated the previously undefeated Stanford 12-11 in a back- and- forth battle which came down to the wire
Stanford drew first blood, scoring three unanswered goals to begin the game. However the Trojans were not daunted by the deficit. Senior center Tilly Kearns landed a goal near the end of the first to bring the score to 3-1.
For Kearns, this matchup had added weight. Stanford bested her and the Trojans in three national championships.
“It’s a sore spot for me,” Kearns said, “I have [Stanford] circled on my calendar just because it’s so much fun.”
After responding at the end of the first, Kearns took initiative yet again, scoring a goal to start the second. Stanford responded by scoring two goals of their own to grow their lead once again to three.
However, when faced with the deficit, the Trojans once again were not daunted by their setbacks. USC head coach Casey Moon said this was one of the team’s strong suits.
“We don’t really hang our heads. I think we have such a connected group with each other, and that’s why they’re helping us win,” Moon said.
The Trojans struck back once again before the end of the second. Freshman star attacker Emily Ausmus andsophomore attacker Meghan McAninch both found the back of the net before the end of the half, leaving the Trojans down 5-4 at halftime..
The Cardinal responded to the comeback in the third quarter halting the Trojan’s momentum. They scored two goals to once again bring the difference between the two teams to three.
The score stayed that way going into the fourth, eerily reminiscent of the loss earlier this season to Stanford, when the Trojans found themselves going into the fourth down big and they were not able to come back. This time, USC did not let the deficit daunt them.
Led once again by Kearns, the Trojans came back, scoring three goals within one minute and ten seconds to start the fourth. After trailing all day, that surge tied the game up. Just over 30 seconds after tying the game, though, Stanford would score once again, putting them up by one. USC was not phased by this goal, and through the combined efforts of freshman center Alma Yaacobi and Ausmus, the Trojans took their first lead of the day, bringing the score to 9-8.
The Uytengsu Aquatics Center was rocking as shirtless fans and family members alike were fired up with the end of game theatrics. The excitement had just begun.
The teams closed the last two minutes of the game by scoring a combined six goals. The score remained within one for the remainder of the game, with USC going up one and Stanford tying the game three separate times.
Notable performances during these final moments came from redshirt sophomore Jenna Flynn, as she scored 2 goals for Stanford to keep them in the match.
However, her goals were not enough to hold off the Trojans, with a heroic performance coming from, who else, Tilly Kearns. She ended up scoring two more goals, bringing her total in the game to 6, leading the team to victory.
In the final two minutes the Trojan fans began chanting “I believe that we will win.” Those in the water felt the energy.
“We have an incredible venue here,” Moon said, “it fuels all of us.”
With the final goal by Yaacobi bringing the score to 12-11 in favor of the Trojans, Moon had nothing but praise for his squad.
“It shows the resiliency of who we are as a group,” Moon said. “Our top eight can go against anybody in the country.”
The Trojans, having just bested the No. 1 team in the nation, look to use this win to fuel the remainder of the season as they head into the playoffs.
“I think this is a huge confidence boost for us,” Moon said. “It really shows, player for player, who we are as a group.”
The Trojans look to keep their winning streak alive as they move on to face Arizona State at home on Saturday, April 13th.