LOS ANGELES – Freshman Alex Oprea and senior George Avakian both set season highs with three goals Saturday in the No. 6 California men's water polo team's MPSF opener at No. 2 USC, but it wasn't enough for the Golden Bears to get out of an early hole as they fell 16-13.

Avakian's first strike 61 seconds into the game tied things at 1-1. However, the Trojans (12-1) scored two unanswered goals to end the period up 3-1. Redshirt junior Bende Pardi cut the lead in half with a 6-on-5 goal early in the second and Oprea and Avakian both scored in the final minute of the quarter, but USC went into halftime leading 7-4.

Both teams matched each other with nine goals apiece in the second half. The Bears (8-5) scored four times in the third, getting goals from Nik Mirkovic, Opera, Max Casabella and Patrik Kolak. They outscored USC 5-1 in the fourth quarter, as William Kelly, Ryder Hagan and Maddox Arlett got in on the scoring and Avakian and Oprea closed things out by sealing their hat tricks.

Avakian finished with five earned exclusions to go with his three goals, reaching that mark for the third time this season. Oprea also drew a pair of exclusions and Kelly earned three.

Casabella tallied two assists, two blocks and a steal to go with his third-quarter goal. Redshirt freshman Riley Clansen ended his day with three saves and two steals at goalkeeper.

Cal will remain in the area for Sunday's 1 p.m. PT matchup with No. 1 UCLA. The Bears were defeated by the Bruins 12-7 in their lone meeting of 2024 back on Sept. 21 in Berkeley. The game will be live streamed on Overnght.com.

No. 2 USC 16, No. 6 California 13
Cal 1 3 4 5 – 13
USC 3 4 8 1 – 16
Cal Goals: Oprea 3, Avakian 3, Arlett, Kolak, Casabella, Mirkovic, Hagan, Pardi, Kelly
USC Goals: Miller 5, Grgurevic 3, Bettino 2, Brankovic, Ausmus, Kranz, Stemler, Duarte, Nelson
Cal Saves: Riley Clansen 3
USC Saves: Bernardo Herzer 9

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