LOS ANGELES — The No. 9 UC Santa Barbara men’s water polo team fell to No. 1 USC, 17-5, in its Mountain Pacific Sports Federation opener on Saturday afternoon at the Trojan’s McDonald’s Swim Stadium. A total of 10 Trojan players scored to catapult USC over the Gauchos.
With the loss, UCSB falls to 7-4 overall this season and 0-1 in the MPSF. The Trojans remain undefeated with their 12-0 overall record and 2-0 MPSF mark.
UCSB scored first with 5:58 on the clock in the first quarter on a six-on-five goal from sophomore Milos Golic. The Trojans tied the game at 1-1 during the next possession with a man-up goal of their own. The score remained deadlocked through the next five and half minutes before Jordan Thompson scored with just five seconds to go, giving USC the slight 2-1 advantage at the end of the first.
USC opened the scoring in the second quarter with another power play goal from Peter Kruzeka to stretch their lead to 3-1. A little over a minute later, Jesse Tootell found the back of the net to put UCSB back within one at 3-2. Two unanswered goals from J.W. Krumpholz ensued before Golic capitalized on a six-on-five opportunity and cut the Trojan lead to 5-3. That would be the last goal of the first half for UCSB as USC poured on two more to take a 7-3 lead into halftime.
The Gauchos managed just two more goals over the next 16 minutes, Golic’s third and a point from Michael Machado, as the Trojan’s outscored UCSB 10-2 in the second half.
USC was led by 2008 Olympic silver medalist J.W. Krumpholz’s four goals while Matt Sagehorn chipped in a hat trick. In the goal, Joel Dennerley led the Trojans with five saves.
Golic tallied a hat trick in the loss staying true to his MPSF-leading three goals-per-game average. The game marked Golic’s 15th straight with a goal and his ninth multiple-goal showing of 2008. In the goal, sophomore Fraser Bunn collected seven saves.
UCSB will travel to No. 8 UC Irvine on Sunday for a MPSF game at noon at the Anteater Aquatics Center.
USC 17, UC Santa Barbara 5
1 2 3 4 Final
UCSB 1 2 1 1 — 5
USC 2 5 6 4 — 17
UCSB Goals: Milos Golic 3, Jesse Tootell 1, Michael Machado 1.
UCSB Goalie Saves: Fraser Bunn 7.
USC Goals: J.W. Krumpholz 4, Matt Sagehorn 3, Shea Buckner 2, Elliot Samuels 2, Justin Rappel 1, Peter Kurzeka 1, Nico Sardo 1, Arjan Ligtenberg 1, Tom Money 1, Jordan Thompson 1.
USC Goalie Saves: Joel Dennerley 5, Benjamin Well 4.
