This weekend at USC’s McDonald’s Swim Stadium, the No. 1 Trojans proved why they are undefeated and sitting at the top of the rankings by taking down the No. 3 Bruins.
With the 6-3 victory, the Trojans (20-0, 5-0 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) increased their home winning streak to 31 games. Although the Bruins (11-5, 3-2) were not able to topple their crosstown rivals, coach Adam Krikorian was not displeased with his team.
“I think we played OK from a tactical standpoint, and certainly from an effort standpoint I think we were good,” Krikorian said. “I think the difference in the game was just not converting some easy opportunities.”
One of these was a penalty shot early in the game that would have given UCLA an early lead. The ball slipped out of the hand of senior Krsto Sbutega, keeping the game scoreless through most of the first quarter. With 1:32 left in the first, USC junior J.W. Krumpholz would score the first of his three goals. The Trojans scored again just before the end of the first quarter and would remain in the lead the entire game.
In the second quarter Sbutega would convert a 6-on-5 opportunity to cut the Trojan lead in half. However, the Bruins would struggle with those man-up advantages the whole game, going only 1 for 5.
“Our 5-on-6 was good, but our 6-on-5 kept us out of the game,” said redshirt junior Scott Swanson. “We only converted one, so in the end that’s going to hurt you. Those are things you have to take advantage of because that’s who’s going to win games.”
USC would lead 3-1 heading into the second half of play, and would then quickly up their lead only 45 seconds into the second half. UCLA would score next off a lob shot from Swanson to make it 4-2. Krumpholz, a 2008 Olympic silver medalist, would net his second of the game before the end of the third to bring the game to 5-2.
Both Sbutega for the Bruins and Krumpholz for the Trojans would score again in the fourth quarter to finish out the game 6-3. UCLA goalie, redshirt junior Chay Lapin tallied six blocks during the game.
Although losing to USC is never something a UCLA team wants to do, Krikorian remains optimistic about the season and the performance of the team.
“We lost to the No. 1 team in the country that’s been blowing out everyone, at their home pool, by three goals ““ so there’s not a whole lot that needs to change,” Krikorian said. “We have four regular season games left and we want to go 4-0 to put us in the best position possible going into the tournament.”
With tough games ahead of them, including UC Irvine today and UC San Diego this weekend, going 4-0 will be a challenge but one for which the Bruins are ready.
“This team is not going to back down by any means,” Swanson said. “This team’s come a long way from a year ago, and it’s good to see, and it’s something really cool to be a part of.
“This team has a lot of fight left in them, and we are going to fight till the end. We’re not out yet.”