Courtesy: USC Athletics
#3 USC (12-5, 1-4) vs. #1 UCLA (22-0, 6-0)
Saturday, Nov. 11 | 1 p.m.
Uytengsu Aquatics Center
Series Record (since 1979): USC leads 78-69-1 (L2)
Last Meeting: UCLA 11, USC 2 [Oct. 14, 2023]
STREAM | STATS
THIS WEEK
No. 3 USC hosts its final regular-season game of the year next week when crosstown rival UCLA comes to Uytengsu Aquatics Center. The Trojans (12-5, 1-4 MPSF) will celebrate Senior Day before squaring off against the No. 1 Bruins (22-0, 6-0) at 1 p.m. on Saturday (Nov. 11).
RANKINGS
USC started the 2023 season ranked No. 2 in the national preseason poll and tied at No. 2 in the preseason MPSF Coaches Poll. Currently 12-5 overall, USC is ranked No. 3 in the nation as of the latest set of national rankings (released Nov. 9). USC also spent time at No. 4 this year.
LAST ACTION
USC captured a crucial conference victory in home waters with a decisive 10-6 win over visiting No. 3 Stanford at Uytengsu Aquatics Center. The Trojan defense shut out the Cardinal for an 11-minute stretch to help set their course, with goalie Bernardo Herzer amassing a career-high 14 saves in the game. USC’s Andrej Grgurevic drummed up goals in the first minute of the first two periods to set up the Trojans for early advantages. Stanford would answer back both times, and after USC clanged the post on three straight shots, the Trojans broke through with a 1-on-1 finish from Carson Kranz. Max Miller would earn a power play for the Trojans next, and Massimo Di Martire rewarded his effort with a feed that Miller plucked out of the air and hammered how to get USC a 4-2 lead. Stanford scored a series of 6-on-5 advantages in the next stretch, however, and converted on two of those chances to knot it at 4-4 for halftime. The Trojans found a winning groove next, silencing the Cardinal while punching up three goals of their own. Di Martire fed Miller for a power move and blast at set to get USC back on top, and then Tony Nardelli hauled in a rebound and mashed it through to tug the Trojans to a 6-4 advantage. After Herzer hauled in another huge save, Luka Brnetic laced a pass to Di Martire, who sailed in a savvy score to make it 7-4. That score would stand to the fourth, where Stanford scored on a 5-meter penalty shot to get within two. Reed Stemler earned a 5-meter for USC soon after, and Kranz crushed it for a lift back to a three-goal lead. Entering the final minute, Stanford opted to pull its goalie and create a 7-on-6 possession, only to see Herzer make a booming block and Joshua Waldoch snake the rebound and send the ball to the back of the Cardinal cage at the other end to make it 9-5. Stanford struck back with 34 ticks to go, and then Tom McGuire got it to Grgurevic for the sophomore’s third of the game and a 10-6 USC lead to top off the day’s work.
NOTABLE:
– RS FR goalie Bernardo Herzer set a new career high with 14 saves today — his second straight double-digit save outing and the sixth of his career.
– With a game-high three goals today, SO Andrej Grgurevic tied his career high.
– With two goals today, SR Carson Kranz extends his team-leading scoring streak to 11 straight games with at least one goal scored.
– With two goals today, SR Max Miller continues to lead USC in scoring, now with 30 goals this season.
– Miller also leads the team with 10 multiple-goal games this year.
– USC is now 76-65 all-time against Stanford in a series dating back to 1979.
– The Trojans are now 2-1 against the Cardinal this season.
– Stanford’s six goals marked the Cardinal’s lowest scoring output in a game this season.
BY THE NUMBERS
Max Miller is currently spearheading USC’s scoring charge with 30 goals, just ahead of Massimo Di Martire‘s 28 to date. Miller also leads the team in having tallied 10 multiple-goal games this year, while Di Martire has scored in all 15 games in which he’s played. The Trojans’ assists leader is senior Tom McGuire with 27, while Di Martire tops the steals board with 25. Miller and fellow two-meter man Tony Nardelli have combined for 76 drawn exclusions, with Miller leading the count with 48 through his 16 games of work. On the defensive end, three goalies have seen time in the cage, with redshirt sophomore Bernardo Herzer capping up in 13 games and redshirt sophomore Eric Hubner checking for seven. In their respective USC debuts, Herzer (12 saves vs. Pomona-Pitzer) and freshman Charles Mills (13 saves vs. Biola) set career highs. All told, USC’s goalkeeping corps is averaging 10.2 saves per game. As a team, USC has outscored its opponents 216-152 for an average of 12.7 goals per game offensively and 8.9 goals-against per game defensively. The USC defense has held opponents scoreless in 13 periods of regulation play.
SWEEPS WEEK
For the first time this season, USC swept the MPSF weekly awards, with two first-timers on the honor roll in MPSF Player of the Week Andrej Grgurevic and MPSF Newcomer of the Week Bernardo Herzer. The two Trojans were instrumental in a key conference victory last weekend, as No. 4 USC beat No. 3 Stanford 10-6. MPSF Player of the Week Andrej Grgurevic tied his career high with three goals on four shots in the crucial Trojan win over the Cardinal. Grgurevic scored USC’s first two goals of the game, and his third came as USC’s final goal of the solid 10-6 win over the Cardinal. Grgurevic’s three-goal effort was just his second multiple-goal game this season. He also had a steal in the Trojans’ win. This is Grgurevic’s first MPSF Player of the Week pick, and he is the second Trojan to earn the honor this season, joining Max Miller. Grgurevic was selected an MPSF Newcomer of the Week last season as a true freshman. Redshirt sophomore goalie Bernardo Herzer, meanwhile, set a new career high for himself with 14 saves in beating the Cardinal. The MPSF Newcomer of the Week also nabbed two steals in the victory while helping to anchor USC’s defense, which shut out the Cardinal for 11 minutes. The 14-save outing marked Herzer’s second straight double-digit save effort, and the sixth of his USC career. Stanford’s six goals scored marked a season low total for the Cardinal. Herzer is the second Trojan to be named MPSF Newcomer of the Week this season, following true freshman Zach Bettino.
MPSF TO THE MAX
USC capped off a sizable home stretch with a decisive win over visiting No. 10 Pacific, led by senior Max Miller’s four-goal outburst. For his efforts, Miller was named MPSF Player of the Week for the first time in his Trojan career with his pick on Oct. 2. Miller scored USC’s first three goals of the game in an eventual 16-6 win over the Tigers. The victory avenged last year’s road loss at Pacific thanks to a well-rounded USC effort, led by Miller’s four goals to go along with a drawn exclusion and steal by the senior. He was 4-of-5 shooting in the USC win. Miller is the first Trojan to win the award since 2021. He was an MPSF Newcomer of the Week selection as a freshman in 2020.
BETTINO ON THE BOARD
Freshman Zach Bettino captured his first official award as a Trojan in being selected MPSF Newcomer of the Week on Sept. 25 following a clutch performance at the Overnght/MPSF Invitational. Bettino scored the game-winning goal in overtime and finished with a career-high four goals to help USC beat No. 4 Stanford 13-12 in the third-place game on Sunday. Before that game, Bettino’s season best had been two-goal outings, making this game a breakout for the freshman, who also had five assists at the tournament. Against the Cardinal, he was 4-of-6 shooting and dealt out an assist and a steal. Bettino is the first Trojan to pick up weekly honors from the conference this season, and is the 12th USC player to earn the award since it began in 2016. He is now fifth on the team in scoring this season with 19 goals.
BACK FOR MORE
USC returns over half of its 2022 NCAA roster, including All-American and MPSF Newcomer of the Year Massimo Di Martire, who led the Trojans in scoring with 63 goals in the 2022 season — seven of those goals scored in the NCAA Tournament. Senior captain Carson Kranz and junior Luka Brnetic also return as All-MPSF honorees, with Kranz and Max Miller tabbed as team captains for 2023. Brnetic and Reed Stemler are seasoned hole guards ready to shut down any moves at two-meters. In front of the cage as well will be senior captain Miller and Tony Nardelli, each bringing valuable experience in their fourth years as centers. Newcomer Connor Cohen and sophomore Zac Crenshaw also add size and power to that spot for the Trojans. Back in the water for his sophomore season, Andrej Grgurevic spent his summer playing with the Australian Junior National Team. Grgurevic scored 21 goals as a true freshman last season.
STRIKE FORCE
With the graduation of some powerful left-handed shooters, sophomore Jack Vort, freshman Zach Bettino and redshirt freshman Charlie Saunders are ready to step up on the 4-6 side, joined by righties Di Martire and Jake Carter, who are proven sharpshooters on that side of the pool. Working on the 1-2 side is a group of guys making an impact with their utility and speed on both sides of the pool in returners Evan Ausmus, Tom McGuire, Joshua Waldoch and Aidan Wattson.
CAGE FIGHTERS
The Trojans’ goalie squad is ripe with skill and size, with 6-foot-7 Eric Hubner bringing upperclassman experience and 6-6 Bernardo Herzer coming off a redshirt year. Incoming freshman goalies Charles Mills and Cooper Mathisrud further bolster USC in the cage as the group competes for playing time as the backbone of the Trojan defense.
NEW CREW
The balance of the 2023 USC squad is rounded out by new additions to the roster. Stanford transfer Jack Martin and Serbian newcomer Stefan Brankovic are raising the level of competition in practice for the younger additions of Spencer Averitt, Chase Landa, Luke Nelson and Will Sanchez. Each player on the roster has an opportunity to make an impact on the way to NCAAs.
PINTA’S PROGRAM
Marko Pintaric, who has been part of 14 NCAA championships during his 21 years on the USC coaching staff, is in his fifth year at the helm of the Trojan men’s program. Last season, he guided the Trojans to an 18th consecutive NCAA appearance, reaching the NCAA final for the 17th time in that span. An All-American and 1998 NCAA champion as a player at USC, Pintaric served as co-head coach for the USC men for three seasons (2016-18), most recently helping the Trojans to the 2018 NCAA Championship. His USC coaching career began as an assistant coach to both the USC men and women in 2001. Pintaric stayed in a dual coaching role until NCAA rules for coaching staff sizes changed in 2015-16, prompting a move to a scouting director role with the women while his assistant coaching role continued with the men for the next four years.
LAST SEASON
USC’s 2022 campaign saw the Trojans win the MPSF Tournament championship in order to clinch an 18th straight trip to the NCAA tourney. USC finished up undefeated at home and posted a 20-7 overall record after a run to the NCAA title match, where USC fell in a one-goal loss to host Cal. At season’s end, USC had four players earn ACWPC All-America honors in First Team picks Jake Ehrhardt, Massimo Di Martire and Ashworth Molthen along with second-team selection Kyle McKenney. Ehrhardt also was picked as a finalist for the 2022 Peter J. Cutino Award. •