There is a first time for everything.
For the Bruins, who had never lost an overtime game this season,
it’s a first that will be hard to swallow.
Despite Joseph Axelrad’s stellar performance in goal, USC
eked out a 7-6 overtime victory at home.
“It’s incredibly frustrating any time you lose to
USC,” said Axelrad, who finished with 10 saves. “We got
our opportunities and they got theirs, but this stuff is bound to
happen.
“USC is a phenomenal team, and this time they came out on
top.”
Just one month ago, No. 4 UCLA had a world of confidence after
an emotional overtime victory against No. 1 USC. But despite the
loss this past Saturday, the Bruins feel that they have no reason
to be disappointed.
“A game like this you have to feel good about
yourself,” coach Adam Krikorian said. “This is about as
intense, as physical, and as pressure-packed as any game that any
of these guys are going to play this year.”
With the game deadlocked at 6-6, sudden death overtime seemed
probable. However, the Bruins (18-6, 7-1 MPSF) had a chance on
their 6-on-5 power play opportunity to put the game away, but
sophomore center defender David Pietsch sailed a shot over the
Trojans’ goal.
With 14 seconds remaining in the second overtime period, Trojan
senior two-meter man, Predrag Damjanov, found himself with some
breathing room and made the Bruins pay by burying the game with a
turnaround-backhanded shot, sealing the victory for USC.
“We worked hard for the win and we deserved it,”
Damjanov said. “Coach told me during the timeout that they
were going to get me the ball. The Bruins played pretty good
defense every time I touched the ball, but this time, they
didn’t crash as fast, so I just turned and shot. That’s
it.”
The Trojans (18-3, 7-1) owe much of their success to junior
utility man James Shin.
Shin, who scored two goals in the previous match against UCLA,
continued his assault on the Bruins.
Despite seeing limited touches throughout the game, Shin once
again proved why he is one of the more explosive players in the
game of water polo.
With 19 seconds remaining in the period, the Trojans were on a
6-on-5 power play advantage. Shin eyed an opening on the left
corner of the goal and skipped a dagger into UCLA’s heart.
The goal not only tied the game 5-5 and sent it to overtime, but it
also pumped life into a once dilapidated USC offense.
“I’m the third or fourth option on this team, but
when nothing was going our way I just stepped it up,” Shin
said.
“I’m speechless right now because I’ve never
been in this position since coming to USC. All I can say is that
it’s an awesome feeling,” he added.
In the first overtime period, Shin swung all the momentum to the
Trojan side after scoring the first goal in the extra period with
less than two minutes to go.
Junior driver Brett Ormsby, who was blanketed since his two
early goals in the first quarter, recorded a hat trick in overtime
within a minute of Shin’s goal. Ormsby found himself all
alone on the top of the pool and rocketed a shot from 10 meters
out, tying the score at six.
“I had a couple of close ones that barred out early
on,” Ormsby said. “I knew we needed something, and I
felt like I might as well give it a shot and it went in.”
Redshirt freshman center defender Chris Pulido, who scored one
goal, saw vital playing time in Saturday’s game due the
ejections of two Bruins. Both captain Peter Belden and junior
driver Josh Hewko received three ejections each, making them
ineligible to play for the final periods of the contest.
USC also lost leading scorer Juraj Zatovic and defender Nick
Andrejic to ejections.
“You have to make adjustments throughout the game and
believe in yourself,” USC coach Jovan Vavic said.
“It’s very simple, the game is about desire, will, and
who wants it more at the end.”
UCLA led the game from the first tip off and at one point, the
Bruins were up 4-1.
“You can never be too upset at a game like this,”
Ormsby said. “We may have the lost the game, but it was a
really hard-fought game. We played our asses off and if we can do
that in the first two rounds of the MPSF, then we’ll probably
meet this team in the finals.”