USC rallies to knock off ‘Eaters

Second-ranked USC scored nine second-half goals and went on to defeat

No. 7 UC Irvine, 10-6, in nonconference men’s water polo game at

McDonald’s Swim Stadium in Los Angeles Saturday.

Freshman Thomas Hale scored all of his game-high three goals in

the second half to help the defending national champion Trojans erase

a 3-1 halftime deficit. Hale and Juraj Zatovic scored back-to-back

goals in the third quarter to tie the score at 3-3, then UCI

sophomore Cole Bitter put the Anteaters back up, 4-3, on a goal with

3:04 left in that period.

James Shin scored 19 seconds later to draw USC even again at 4-4,

then Hale put USC ahead, 5-4, with 1:50 left in the third.

The Anteaters’ Colin Mello scored an extra-man goal 20 seconds

later to knot the game, 5-5, entering the fourth quarter.

Consecutive goals by Shin, Juan Delgadillo and Cameron Kaiser in

the last quarter gave the Trojans an 8-5 lead and USC secured the

victory in its season opener. Shin and Zatovic added two goals for

USC while Hutten led UCI (4-1) with a pair of goals.

Anteater goalie Joe Wynne had six saves, as did USC counterpart

Don Ricci.

Both teams compete in the Southern California tournament hosted by

USC next Saturday and Sunday.

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Nonconference

USC 10, UC Irvine 6

Score by Quarters

UC Irvine 2 1 2 1 - 6

USC 1 0 4 5 - 10

UCI scoring - Hutten 2, White 1, Bitter 1, R.

Merlo 1, Mello 1. Saves -- Wynne, 6. USC - Hale 3,

Shin 2, Zatovic 2, Kaiser 1, Zepfel 1, Delgadillo

1. Saves -- Ricci, 6.

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