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Sinia Plotz, Anna Reed help USC women hold off Cal 10-9 for Trojans' 7th water polo championship
TL;DR
USC women’s water polo team won their seventh national championship by defeating Cal 10-9. Sinia Plotz and Anna Reed were key players, with Reed making 10 saves in the match.
Key points
- USC won their seventh national championship in women's water polo
- Sinia Plotz scored to start each half of the match
- Anna Reed made 10 saves, including on a penalty shot
Mentioned in this story
Sinia PlotzAnna ReedCasey MoonCoralie Simmons
USC TrojansCalifornia Golden BearsNCAA Women's Water Polo Championship
LA JOLLA, Calif. (AP) — Sinia Plotz scored to begin each half and Anna Reed finished with 10 saves to lead Southern California to a 10-9 victory over California on Sunday night at the Canyonview Aquatic Center, earning the Trojans a seventh national championship in women's water polo. It's the first championship for Casey Moon in his second season as the Trojans head coach. USC last claimed the title in 2021. Holly Dunn scored on a power play with 23 seconds left in the first quarter to pull Cal even, but Ava Stryker answered with seven seconds remaining and USC took a 3-2 lead. Emily Ausmus scored for a two-goal lead and Stryker added her second goal to give the Trojans a 6-3 advantage with 3:15 left before halftime. Eszter Varro answered with a goal eight seconds later for the Golden Bears and another one with 2:07 left to cut it to 6-5. Ausmus found the net with eight seconds left, but Dunn scored on a shot just before the buzzer to get Cal within 7-6 at the break. Plotz scored to begin the second half and give USC a two-goal lead, but Varro scored for the third time and Cal trailed 8-7. Meghan McAninch scored on a power play midway through the quarter for a 9-7 lead. Julianne Snyder cut into the deficit with 48.7 seconds left and the Golden Bears had a tying shot by Dunn hit the crossbar. Talia Fonseca had one of her 11 saves on a shot by USC's Alma Yaacobi at the buzzer and Cal trailed 9-8 heading to the final quarter. Rachel Gazzaniga scored two minutes in to again give USC a two-goal lead. Despoina Drakotou scored the final goal of the match on a 5-meter penalty shot after an exclusion on Reed with 5:23 remaining. Reed had a save on an earlier penalty shot. The fourth-seeded Golden Bears (16-8), looking for their first championship, knocked out defending champion and top-ranked Stanford 13-11 in the semifinals to advance to their second final in three seasons under coach Coralie Simmons — in her 10th season. UCLA beat Cal 7-4 in the 2024 final and Stanford topped Cal 9-5 for the 2011 championship. No. 3 seed USC advanced with an 11-10 victory over second-seeded UCLA in the other semifinal. The event was hosted by UC San Diego. \\\_ AP Sports:
Q&A
What was the final score of the USC vs Cal women's water polo championship?
USC defeated Cal with a final score of 10-9.
Who were the standout players in the USC women's water polo championship win?
Sinia Plotz scored crucial goals, while Anna Reed made 10 saves during the match.
When was the last time USC women's water polo won a national championship before this victory?
USC last won the national championship in 2021.
