UCLA
USC
UCLA Tops USC to Lock Up MPSF Top Spot
April 22, 2017 | Women's Water Polo
LOS ANGELES โ The No. 1 UCLA women's water polo team completed an undefeated conference schedule with an 11-7 win over No. 2 USC Saturday to clinch the top spot in next week's MPSF Tournament. On a day when the Bruins honored seven departing seniors, freshman Maddie Musselman led the way for UCLA with a career-high-tying five goals.
Musselman got things started in a hurry for the Bruins (20-1, 6-0) with a score at 7:50 of the opening frame. An exclusion on Rachel Fattal led to the equalizer by Hayley McKelvey of the Trojans (26-2, 4-2) at 4:31. Reigning MPSF Player of the Week Kodi Hill re-established the Bruin lead, however, 28 seconds later. The seesaw battle continued when the Trojans' Stephania Haralabidis converted at 2:44 to knot the game at 2-2. Musselman ultimately sent the game to its first break with the Bruins leading, as she capitalized on a six-on-five opportunity to give the Bruins a 3-2 advantage (2:10).
Musselman gave the Bruins their first multi-goal lead of the game when she found the back of the net with another extra-player goal at 6:28. The hat trick marked her 11th of her opening campaign, but she was not finished. A Fattal steal led to a Kelsey O'Brien goal at 2:40 of the frame, while Musselman tacked on her fourth to close the first half and extend the Bruin lead to 6-2.
The Bruin barrage of goals continued into the second half, as Alexa Tielmann scored 28 seconds into the third frame. Brigitta Games of the Trojans finally put an end to the Bruins' run of five consecutive goals with her first of the contest, setting off a mini run by USC.
Stephania Haralabidis scored her second of the day (6:08) and Maud Megens added the third in a row by the Trojans, who cut their deficit to two goals. Twenty-three seconds later, Fattal ensured USC would not get any closer, as she pushed the Bruin lead to 8-5. Once again, Musselman took advantage of a six-on-five opportunity to push the lead back to four, 9-5. Megens responded with her second of the frame 14 seconds later (0:23) to send the game to the fourth with the Bruins leading, 9-6.
The Trojans would not go away, as Games scored her second of the afternoon on an extra-player opportunity 34 seconds into the final quarter. They would not get any closer, however, as Bronte Halligan owned the final 3:52 of the contest. The freshman from Australia clinched the win with her first two goals of the game to cap scoring at 11-7.
Carlee Kapana posted four saves for the Bruins, who got four goals out of their senior class. Mackenzie Barr, Fattal, Hill, Aubrie Monahan, O'Brien, Tielmann and Alys Williams were honored in a pregame ceremony.
The win clinched the No. 1 seed at next week's MPSF Tournament for the Bruins, who will not play until Game 6 on the second day of competition at UCLA. They will face Friday's winner of No. 4 Arizona State and No. 5 California at 2:30 p.m on Saturday.
No. 2 USC (2, 0, 4, 1 โ 7)
Games, S. Haralabidis, Megens โ 2; McKelvey โ 1
No. 1 UCLA (3, 3, 3, 2 โ 11)
Musselman โ 5; Halligan โ 2; Fattal, Hill, O'Brien, Tielmann โ 1
