Sept. 17, 2006
STANFORD, CALIF. -
The No. 1-ranked California men's water polo team fell to No. 2-ranked and defending national champion USC, 10-7, in the championship match of the NorCal Open, Sunday at the Avery Aquatic Complex on the Stanford campus. Earlier Sunday, Cal had upended No. 4-ranked and host Stanford, 10-9, in the semifinals. The Golden Bears fell to 10-1 on the year, while the Trojans improved to 6-0. On Saturday, Cal had defeated UC Santa Cruz, 18-4, and No. 5-ranked UC San Diego, 12-8, on Saturday.
USC knocked top-ranked Cal from the ranks of the unbeaten. The Trojans had led 7-6 after the three quarters. USC then scored three straight times in the final period on goals by Juan Delgadillo, J.W. Krumpholz, and Joe Cocsentino, to ice the match. The Bears were led by junior Michael Sharf's two goals, and single goals by John Mann, Brian Kinsel, Mike Hayes, Spencer Warden and Marty Matthies. Sharf also forced a team-high three ejections, while Matthies added two steals and senior Andrija Vasiljevic had a team-best two assists.
In the victory over the Cardinal, Cal junior Adam Haley scored with 1:29 to play to lift the Bears to a come-from-behind 10-9 victory over Stanford.
Haley's winning goal was also Cal's first lead of the match. Stanford had led by as many as three goals, 5-2, at halftime. However, three straight goals by Mann in the third period tied the contest at 5-5. Goals by Drac Wigo and Will Hindel-Katel gave Stanford a 7-5 lead, but Cal tied the game at 7-7 on a goal by senior Brian Bacharach with 7:30 remaining in the game.
Stanford pulled in front at 9-7 on goals by Michael Bury and Hindle-Katel with 4:16 remaining. But Mann scored again for Cal at 4:25 and Sharf tied the match at 9-9 with 2:37 remaining.
The Bears' sophomore goalie, Marc Vaquier, had a outstanding match against Stanford, registering 10 saves. Frank Reynolds led Cal with three assists and Mann forced four ejections.
The Bears will next travel to the Air Force Open, Sept. 23-24 in Colorado Springs, Colo.
USC 2 3 2 3 = 10
California 2 1 3 1 = 7
USC Scorers: Hale 2, Krumpolz 2, Delgadillo 2,
Cosentino 1, Rappel 1,Vranes 1, Corcoran 1
California Scorers: Sharf 2, Mann 1, Kinsel 1,
Hayes 1, Matthies 1, Warden 1
Goalie Saves: Shilling (USC) 10; Vacquier (C) 3
-----------------------------------------------
Stanford 1 4 2 2 = 9
California 0 2 4 4 = 10
Stanford Scorers: Will Hindle-Katel 5, D. Wigo 2,
Bury 1, Garton 1
California Scorers: Mann 5, Bacharach 2,
Haley 1, Sharf 1, Kinsel 1
Goalie Saves: Hohener (S) 6; Vacquier (C) 7
