No. 3 USC Men’s Water Polo Takes Aim At Third Straight MPSF Tournament Title

Men's Water Polo | November 21, 2024

THIS WEEK    
No. 3 USC starts off on its postseason path this week with a trip across town to set up camp for the 2024 MPSF Tournament. UCLA hosts this year's conference tourney at Spieker Aquatics Center in Westwood, where the Trojans will be looking to win a third straight MPSF title and secure a 20th consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. USC (18-5) opens up against Austin College at 12 p.m. on Friday (Nov. 22) to play for a spot in a 1:45 p.m. semifinal on Saturday (Nov. 23). Placement games are set for Sunday (Nov. 24), culminating in a 3 p.m. championship game. The winner of the MPSF Tournament title will earn an automatic berth into the coming NCAA Tournament, hosted by Stanford Dec. 6-8.

MPSF TOURNAMENT CENTRAL: https://mpsports.org/tournaments/?id=36

RANKINGS    
USC started the 2024 season ranked No. 4 in the national preseason poll and tied at No. 3 in the preseason MPSF Coaches Poll. Currently 18-4 overall, USC No. 4 in the nation as of the latest set of national rankings (released Nov. 13). USC was previously ranked tied at No. 2 the week of Oct. 30.

THIS TIME LAST YEAR        
USC put forth a powerful performance at the 2023 MPSF Tournament to secure its 19th consecutive NCAA berth, handing top-seeded UCLA its first loss of the year with a 13-9 win in the semifinals before topping No. 2 seeded host Cal in a nail-biter 13-12 in the championship game. It was the Trojans' second straight MPSF Tournament title and 13th overall, as well as the fifth time USC has won back-to-back crowns. USC had opened the 2023 tourney with a 20-4 win over Augustana to take its place in the semis against rival UCLA. Against the Bruins, USC never trailed, taking control in the second period to turn a one-goal game into a five-goal USC advantage and keep the Bruins at bay the rest of the way. Luka Brnetic led USC with three goals in the crucial win, and Max Miller added two. In a vital title match against host Cal, USC fought through 10 tie scores and three fourth-period lead changes before the Trojans staked their claim on their second straight MPSF crown. A Miller hat trick by halftime had helped USC lead it 6-5 at the break. Another in the third, along with Massimo Di Martire's third of the day, got the Trojans to be all even with the Golden Bears at 8-8 entering the fourth. That eight-minute stretch was wild, but Miller never stopped. He got USC up 10-8 with two incredible goals on USC's first two possessions for the fourth frame. Cal fired back, and would take a 12-11 lead with 2:20 to go. Off a feed from Tom McGuire, Miller unleashed his seventh goal of the day to lock even again, and less than a minute later fellow captain Carson Kranz hit Di Martire for a 6-on-5 sizzler that put USC on top 13-12 with 1:12 on the clock. USC's defense locked in for the duration, with McGuire nabbing a steal and goalie Bernardo Herzer coming up with a clutch takeaway before Cal clanged the bar on its last-gasp attempt to see the Trojans reign supreme as MPSF champions for the 13th time. Miller would be named MVP of the tournament, joined by Di Martire and Kranz on the All-Tournament Team.

BY THE NUMBERS        
As the 2024 postseason gets underway, Robert López Duart and Max Miller currently spearhead USC's scoring charge, with 45 and 41 goals tallied, respectively. López Duart leads the crew with 14 multiple-goal outings to date. Miller leads the team in having scored at least once in 21 of USC's 23 games so far, while Andrej Grgurevic holds the longest active streak of consecutive games scored in with five. Stefan Brankovic has served up a team-high 26 assists, followed closely by López Duart's 24. On the steals front, goalie Bernardo Herzer has 30 and López Duart has 25. Miller and fellow two-meter man Martin have combined for 63 drawn exclusions, with Miller leading the count with 45 through 23 games of work. On the defensive end, three goalies have seen time in the cage, with redshirt sophomore Bernardo Herzer capping up in 19 games, redshirt junior Eric Hubner making five appearances and redshirt freshman Charles Mills checking in for seven games. Herzer has set the season's high mark with his career-high 16-save outing vs. Stanford on Sept. 21. All told, USC's goalkeeping corps is averaging 8.9 saves per game. As a team, USC has outscored its opponents 338-222 for an average of 14.7 goals per game offensively and 9.7 goals-against per game defensively. The USC defense has held opponents scoreless in nine periods of regulation play. USC has recorded 12 games with 10 or more different scorers this season. The Trojans are also 3-0 in overtime games on the year.

ALL-MPSF MEN        
USC stacked up five repeat honorees and two new faces on the 2024 MPSF honor roll, making it a total of seven Trojans earning places on All-MPSF West teams for their work this season. In his first season of action as a Trojan, Robert López Duart locked up his All-MPSF First Team honors as USC's top scorer so far this season with 45 goals, while also registering 25 steals and 24 assists. Also on the Cutino Award Watch List, López Duart is a four-time MPSF Newcomer of the Week winner. He's scored in 19 games for USC this season, with a team-high 14 multiple-goal games. He has topped out with a five-goal outburst in a USC win over Stanford earlier this year. A captain, Max Miller has pocketed his second straight selection to the All-MPSF First Team thanks in part to having scored in 21 of USC's 23 games this year. With 41 goals on the season, he's USC's second leading scorer, and he's been a force at two-meters with 45 exclusions drawn to date. Also on the Cutino Award Watch List, Miller was named MPSF Player of the Week this season. Junior Andrej Grgurevic has upgraded last year's Honorable Mention with his place on this season's All-MPSF Second Team. He's third on USC's scoring list this year with 28 goals, and he's scored in 19 different games while topping out with a hat trick vs. Princeton. He's joined by two-time All-MPSF Second Team selection Bernardo Herzer — USC's go-to goalie who is averaging 8.9 saves per game and who has nabbed a team-high 30 steals. He also scored his first career goal earlier this season, and he set a new career high in single-game saves with 16 in USC's win over Stanford. Looming largest on the All-MPSF Honorable Mention list is senior Luka Brnetic, who now has his second Honorable Mention pick to go with Second Team honors earned in 2023. USC's leader in field blocks, Brnetic also has delivered 18 goals on the offensive end this season, including a career-high hat trick vs. UC Santa Barbara.  Now a four-time All-MPSF Honorable Mention recipient to go along with First Team honors last year, captain Carson Kranz has tallied 24 goals, 22 assists and 20 steals for the Trojans this season. He was named MPSF Player of the Week earlier this month. In his first season of competition as a Trojan, Stefan Brankovic is a team captain alongside Kranz and Miller. Now with All-MPSF Honorable Mention accolades to his name, Brankovic was named MPSF Newcomer of the Week last week. He leads the team in assists with 26, and he's also punched up 26 goals, striking in 18 different games so far this season.

ROBERT MAKES HIS MPSF MARK    
USC not only grabbed four wins in its first weekend of work in 2024, the Trojans also got on the board with the first MPSF Newcomer of the Week award of the season. A new face on the Trojan roster this year, sophomore transfer Robert López Duart secured the selection after serving up nine goals for USC at the Triton Invitational. López Duart was USC's top scorer at the event last weekend, where his nine goals helped the Trojans go 4-0. His first goal as a Trojan came in a two-goal outing versus No. 10 Long Beach State, netting an early 3-2 lead in an eventual 14-6 win. He had two steals and three drawn exclusions in that season-opening victory as well. López Duart scored once in limited playing time during USC's 20-6 win over Cal State Fullerton, and then set his USC high mark with a four-goal outburst along with two assists against No. 8 UC Davis in an 18-12 win. He'd end the event with two goals in USC's 21-6 win over Westcliff. 

SECOND SWEEPS WEEK    
On Oct. 28, USC landed pair of Trojans on the MPSF weekly honor roll for the second time this season. Scoring his first career MPSF West Player of the Week selection was senior Carson Kranz, while sophomore Robert López Duart secured his fourth MPSF West Newcomer of the Week award. MPSF West Player of the Week Kranz tied his carer high with a hat trick in USC's 18-10 win over visiting No. 10 UC Davis. He also tallied two steals in the win, which marked USC's final home game of the season and improved the Trojans to 16-3 overall. Kranz now hold 115 career goals as a Trojan. MPSF West Newcomer of the Week López Duart scored in a 13th consecutive game for USC, tallying a hat trick in USC's win over the Aggies. He also tallied an assist and a drawn exclusion in the victory. López Duart leads USC in scoring with 41 goals, and has scored at least once in 18 of USC's 19 games. USC also swept the MPSF weekly awards on Sept. 18, when Max Miller picked up MPSF Player of the Week honors and López Duart scored his second MPSF Newcomer of the Week award. 

THAT'S THREE    
Three weeks into his career as a Trojan, Robert López Duart collected his third set of MPSF West Newcomer of the Week honors after another powerful weekend of work. López Duart led USC with 10 goals scored at the Overnght MPSF Invitational, setting his USC career high with a five-goal outing — including the game-winner — in a 12-11 overtime win over No. 2 Stanford. In USC's 13-12 overtime win over No. 10 Long Beach State, López Duart scored a team-high three goals and had two assists. He also scored once in USC's win over UC Davis and once in a loss to No. 1 UCLA in the title match. López Duart still stands as USC's top scorer so far this season, now with 25 goals scored.

BRANKOVIC ON THE BOARD    
In his first season of action at USC, sophomore Stefan Brankovic picked up his first MPSF award, named the MPSF West Newcomer of the Week on Nov. 11. Brankovic had two goals, two assists, three field blocks and a steal for USC in its 12-8 win over No. 14 UC Santa Barbara last weekend. He scored his two goals early in a 4-0 USC start to the game. Brankovic has now scored in USC's last five straight games — a team high. He is one of six Trojans with 20 or more goals scored this season, standing as USC's fourth leading scorer with 26 goals to date.

CENTURY CLUBBIN'            
In USC's home opener, two Trojans hit the 100-goal mark during the same period of play. In their second season as team captains and fifth seasons of work as Trojans, Carson Kranz and Max Miller each nailed their 100th career goals. With his second goal of the game, Miller tallied his 100th to get USC a 7-5 lead over UC Irvine. Exactly four minutes later, Kranz drilled a 5-meter penalty shot to also notch his 100th. The pair are now on an elite list of 46 Trojans to have scored 100 goals in their USC careers.

BACK FOR MORE            
USC returns five players who scored 20 or more goals last year to account for almost half of USC's scoring. That includes three returning All-Americans in Zach Bettino and captains Carson Kranz and Max Miller, while USC also boasts an All-American goalie in Bernardo Herzer. USC's "senior" class is sizable, as Kranz and Miller enter their fifth seasons along with fellow veterans Tom McGuire and Reed Stemler along with true seniors Luka Brnetic, Jake Carter, Eric Hubner and Aidan Wattson. 

SHARPSHOOTERS            
Firepower is far from a concern for these balanced Trojans. On the perimeter, the right side is taken care of with lefties Zach Bettino and Jack Vort along with right-handed attackers like Stefan Brankovic, Jake Carter and Andrej Grgurevic, who also shines as a master of the counterattack.  Opposite them, Trojan fans will enjoy the USC debut of Robert López Duart and the rise of Luke Nelson, while key returners Carson Kranz, Tom McGuire, Aidan Wattson and Evan Ausmus boast the ability to strike from anywhere in the pool, and redshirt freshman Chase Landa is also set to factor into USC's offensive machine.

FIRE IN THE HOLE            
The two-meter slot will be a busy one, as USC has strength, depth and skill at both ends. Senior hole guard Luka Brnetic, who trained with the Croatian National Team last summer, is tabbed as a cornerstone of Pintaric's defensive scheme along with fellow seniors Connor Cohen and Reed Stemler. Sophomore Spencer Averitt brings back his intensity to that spot as well to bring extra depth in the hole. Offensively, USC's top scorer in 2024, Max Miller, is back for year five of work in the center position. Junior Zac Crenshaw returns as well to bring size and experience to USC's two-meter attack, while Jack Martin is cued up for his Trojan debut as a proven force and a deft left hand in front of the cage.

CAGE FIGHTERS    
Speaking of defense, the backbone sits between the pipes, where Bernardo Herzer emerged with All-American honors in his first season of work for the Trojans. His talented fellow goalies Eric Hubner and Charles Mills battled injuries last season, but both put forth ferocious stands in goal while healthy. All signs are pointing toward a reliable corps in the cage in 2024, with that trio back for more along with incoming freshman goalie Nemo Pavoggi.

NEW CREW    
Three not-so-secret weapons — Stefan Brankovic, Jack Martin and Robert López Duart — are officially capped up for the first time as Trojans in 2024. Brankovic and Martin sat out their first season at USC and are now raring to go. López Duart brought his All-American accolades collected as a freshman at Long Beach State over to USC last spring. Three true freshmen round out the 2024 USC roster with the additions of goalie Nemo Pavoggi along with driver Taj Whitehead and utility Ben Mirisch. 

PINTA'S PROGRAM    
Marko Pintaric, who has been part of 14 NCAA championships during his 23 years on the USC coaching staff, is in his sixth year at the helm of the Trojan men's program. Last season, he guided the Trojans to a 19th consecutive NCAA appearance, reaching the NCAA final for the 18th time in that span after also winning a second straight MPSF Tournament title. 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.  

LAST SEASON    
USC's 2023 season saw the Trojans repeat as the MPSF Tournament champions in order to clinch a 19th straight trip to the NCAA tourney. Host of the 2023 NCAA even, USC reached the semifinals and fell in a one-goal loss to eventual champion Cal to finish 16-7 overall. At season's end, USC had five players earn ACWPC All-America honors led by first-time First Team pick Max Miller. USC also had Massimo Di Martire and Carson Kranz earn spots on the Second Team, while Zach Bettino and Bernardo Herzer earned Honorable Mention in their first seasons of work as Trojans.

THE PLACE TO BE.    
The University of Southern California is the undeniable, unequaled and unquestioned top destination for student-athletes. USC is both home to 136 national team championships and one of the top-ranked private research institutions in the world. Located in the heart of the thriving Los Angeles metropolitan area, it is situated in one of the most diverse and visible media markets in the world. USC's campus is driving distance from the beautiful beaches of Southern California, the majestic mountains range of the Sierra Nevada, the sprawling splendor of the Redwood and Sequoia national forests, and the mysterious Mojave Desert. The student-athlete experience at USC is truly unmatched. •