LA JOLLA, Calif. – Alex Bowen scored four times and tallied both of his team’s goals after regulation, but a Kostas Genidounias goal late in the first sudden-death overtime lifted USC to an epic 12-11 win over Stanford in the semifinals of the NCAA Men’s Water Polo Championship on Saturday evening.
In search of the 11th national championship in school history, the second-seeded Cardinal looked poised to advance to tomorrow’s title game leading 9-8 late in the fourth quarter. The two teams were knotted up 8-8 heading into that final frame and continued to be early in the period until Connor Stapleton found himself alone mid-tank and buried it from deep with 5:41 left.
A stalemate ensued. Two Trojan shots were blocked by Stanford’s defense, two hit the post, one missed the cage and another was saved by Drew Holland before USC, the No. 3 seed, called a full timeout. Utilizing a quick shot coming out of the stoppage, Genidounias put home the Trojans’ first goal in nearly 10 minutes with 14 ticks until the horn, bringing things level, 9-9, and forcing overtime.
Nick Bell then scored for USC on an assist from Genidounias at 2:06 in the first extra period, but Bowen responded with a power play goal of his own late in the frame (0:14) and the teams were tied 10-10 heading into the second overtime.
In a homecoming of sorts for Bowen, the Santee, Calif. product again came up big for the Cardinal, rattling the cage with his fourth of the day at 0:36 to put Stanford up one, 11-10. Stanford was whistled for an exclusion with 0:17 to go and USC took advantage, converting its third man-up situation thanks to a goal from Marc Vonderweidt off an assist from Genidounias to again bring things even, 11-11, and force sudden death.
Vargas on Bowen: "Clutch." Has been and will continue to be for the national team. #postgame
— Total Waterpolo (@TotalWaterpolo) December 7, 2014
Stanford and USC exchanged chances early in the first sudden-death overtime period, but Genidounias gave the Trojans an opportunity to claim their seventh-straight NCAA championship when he put home the sudden-death goal, his fourth of the game, in the 41st minute.
With the result, Stanford (25-4) will play tournament hosts and No. 4 seed UCSD (16-10) at 1 p.m. tomorrow for third place. USC (24-6) will meet No. 1 seed UCLA (28-3) for the national championship at 3:12 p.m. The Bruins defeated the Tritons, 15-6, earlier this afternoon.
Stanford went up by two goals on three occasions in the first half, 3-1, 6-4 and 7-5, and owned that 7-5 edge at halftime. Bowen started off the game just as he ended it, scoring Stanford’s first two goals at 4:41 and 3:20 in the first. He began with a bar-in score to the top left corner and secured his second when Nick Hoversten recovered the ball off a USC field block and left it for his senior teammate, who beat the Trojans’ McQuin Baron to his right.
Mihajlo Milicevic opened the scoring for USC (2:14), but Hoversten answered at 1:45, rebounding an Adam Abdulhamid attempt that was blocked by three Trojans in the cage and jamming it home near side.
Genidounias then got into the act and scored his first two in the second quarter at 7:31 and 6:09 to tie the game, 3-3.
Bret Bonanni put Stanford back on top when he ripped a penalty shot past the shoulders of Baron (5:01). Genidounias drew the Cardinal’s attention moments later, but he dropped it off to Vonderweidt, who caught the ball and fired all in one motion past Holland.
Bonnani put home his second with 4:17 to go until the break and BJ Churnside converted the game’s first 6-on-5 opportunity from the point to nudge the Cardinal in front, 6-4. USC’s Rex Butler (2:56) and Stanford’s Conner Cleary (1:20) would trade goals the rest of the half.
Trailing 7-5 coming out of intermission, USC scored the first three goals of the second half to take its first lead, 8-7, with 1:54 remaining in the third quarter. Bonanni tied the game yet again on a breakaway with 0:35 on the clock in the third before Stapleton’s goal led off the fourth, put Stanford on top 9-8, and set the stage for the drama to follow.
No. 1 Stanford vs. No. 3 USC
Dec. 6, 2014 • La Jolla, Calif.
USC 1– 4 – 3 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 = 12
STAN 3 – 4 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 0 = 11
Stanford Goals: Alex Bowen 4, Bret Bonanni 3, BJ Churnside, Conner Cleary, Nick Hoversten, Connor Stapleton
Stanford Saves: Drew Holland 13
USC Goals: Kostas Genidounias 4, Nick Bell 2, Rex Butler 2, Mihajlo Milicevic 2, Marc Vonderweidt 2
USC Saves: McQuin Baron 12