Nov. 18, 2006
LOS ANGELES, CALIF. -
In a battle between the nation's two best men's water polo teams, No. 2-ranked California (26-4, 6-2 MPSF) was tipped by No. 1-ranked USC, 10-9, Saturday in MPSF contest at the McDonald's Swim Stadium on the USC campus. The Golden Bears, who will be the No. 2-seed entering the Nov. 24-26 MPSF Tournament in Irvine, were led by three goals apiece from senior All-American John Mann, junior Zac Monsees and freshman Spencer Warden. Junior goalie Mark Sheredy was also stellar, notching 13 saves.
Cal gave the defending national champion Trojans a run for their money. The two teams were tied, 3-3, after the first period on tree goals by USC's Jovan Vranes, and a goal by true freshman Warden and a pair of goals by Monsees. The Bears then exploded for four goals in the second period on a goal by Mann, two more goals by Warden, and a Monsees' score for a 7-4 halftime advantage.
Both teams scored single goals in the third period, with Mann giving the Bears an 8-5 lead with a goal with 4:29 left in the third quarter. The contest got away from Cal in the fourth quarter, however, as USC scored the first three goals in the period, with Pavol Valovic tying the match, 8-8, with 4:56 left in the final period. Two more Trojan goals by Thomas Hale put USC ahead, 10-8, before a Mann goal with 18 seconds left got the Bears to the final, 10-9, margin.
The Bears have fallen three times to the Trojans this season, including, 10-7, Sept. 7 at Stanford in the finals of the NorCal Tournament; and, 6-5, Oct. 15 in Los Angeles in the finals of the SoCal Tournament.
Scoring by quarter
1 2 3 4 TOT
CAL 3 4 1 1 9
USC 3 1 1 5 10
1st Quarter
5:24 USC #14 Jovan Vranes USC 1-0
3:53 USC #14 Jovan Vranes USC 2-0
3:22 CAL #12 Spencer Warden USC 2-1
2:11 CAL #16 Zac Monsees TIE 2-2
0:25 CAL #16 Zac Monsees CAL 3-2
0:05 USC #14 Jovan Vranes TIE 3-3
2nd Quarter
6:08 CAL #4 John Mann CAL 4-3
4:16 USC #2 Thomas Hale TIE 4-4
3:47 CAL #12 Spencer Warden CAL 5-4
2:49 CAL #16 Zac Monsees CAL 6-4
0:44 CAL #12 Spencer Warden CAL 7-4
3rd Quarter
5:19 USC #20 Tommy Corcoran CAL 7-5
4:29 CAL #4 John Mann CAL 8-5
4th Quarter
7:05 USC #20 Tommy Corcoran CAL 8-6
5:45 USC #14 Jovan Vranes CAL 8-7
4:56 USC #5 Pavol Valovic TIE 8-8
2:06 USC #2 Thomas Hale USC 9-8
0:34 USC #2 Thomas Hale USC 10-8
0:18 CAL #4 John Mann USC 10-9
Scoring by player
USC
#14 Jovan Vranes - 4
#2 Thomas Hale - 3
#20 Tommy Corcoran - 2
#5 Pavol Valovic - 1
CAL
#16 Zac Monsees - 3
#12 Spencer Warden - 3
#4 John Mann - 3
Goalie Saves
USC Adam Schilling - 8
CAL Mark Sheredy - 13
