LOS ANGELES – The No. 6 Cal women's water polo team went back and forth with No. 1 USC for 3½ quarters Saturday before the Trojans ultimately outlasted the Bears 10-8 in the semifinals of the MPSF Championships at Uytengsu Aquatics Center.

Cal All-American Emma Wright had four goals and two assists – including scores on each of the Bears' first three possessions of the game – while sophomore Ruby Swadling added two goals and an assist. Junior goalie Isabel Williams had 10 saves, including a point-blank stop on USC All-MPSF senior Bayley Webber just before halftime and the score tied at 5-5.

The Bears played the game without injured starting attackers Elli Protopapas and Maryn Dempsey, who have combined for 35 goals this season.

Cal (15-5) will play No. 3 UCLA in the Third Place Game on Sunday at 12:45 p.m.

Wright's early-game outburst helped the Bears build a 3-1 lead before two minutes had elapsed in the game. Swadling's first goal – on which Wright provided an assist – gave Cal a 4-2 advantage at the end of the first period.

The Trojans scored the next three goals to take their first lead of the game, but Swadling's power play goal with 1:05 left in the second quarter tied it once again.

After USC went back in front early in the third period, Wright registered her final goal on the ensuing possession off an assist from freshman Rozanne Voorvelt to make it 6-6 at the 5:44 mark. The Trojans held a 7-6 lead midway through the fourth quarter but tacked on three more goals in a row to take command.

All-American center Kitty Lynn Joustra and sophomore Reagan Whitney added goals for the Bears in the final two minutes of the game.

Williams moved into fourth place on Cal's all-time single-season saves list with 209 this season. She also now has 257 career saves and needs 10 more to take over ninth place on the program's career saves list.

Meanwhile, Wright moved closer to the No. 4 spot on Cal's all-time scoring list. She now has 197 career goals, two behind Kaliya Young's 199.