Second-ranked USC held seventh-seeded UCSB scoreless through three quarters on Friday morning on its way to a 10-2 victory in the opening round of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championship at Stanford’s Avery Aquatic Center.
The two-time defending national champions went up 4-0 in the first quarter and then led by seven goals at halftime. It was not until the six-minute mark in the fourth quarter that UCSB scored its first goal. Senior Milos Golic and freshman Lazar Komadinic provided the Gauchos’ two goals.
Gaucho goalie Fraser Bunn was busy. He posted 11 saves, including a game-high five in the second quarter.
USC (24-2) became the first team to limit the Gauchos to two goals in a game since UCLA did so in an 8-2 win on Oct. 22, 2005.
With the loss, UCSB (11-11) falls into the MPSF consolation bracket and will play sixth-seeded Pacific on Saturday. The Gauchos and Tigers have played twice already this season. UCSB won the first paring, 9-5, on Sept. 19 and Pacific won the second, 8-7, on Nov. 7.
