STOCKTON, Calif.- The No. 3 Pacific men's water polo team defeated No. 4 USC, 12-11, on Sunday afternoon at Chris Kjeldsen Pool. With the win, the Tigers have now defeated the Trojans twice during the 2019 regular season, a feat that had never previously been accomplished in program history.
 
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

• Ege Colak paced the Tiger offense with a hat-trick, scoring 3 goals in the victory. Colak's goals were a team-high for Pacific, marking the fourth time this season the senior from Turkey has found the back of the net three times. He now has tallied 32 goals over 13 matches, which puts him third on the team in total goals.
• Matthew Hosmer continues to have an excellent freshman season as the Stockton native scored midway through the second quarter to extend his goal streak. He has now netted at least one goal in every match this season. He is currently fourth on the team in total goals with 27, as well as being tied for fourth with Colak in total points with 35.
• The Tigers defeated USC for the second time this season, something that has never been accomplished in the history of Pacific men's water polo. The Trojans, who are the reigning NCAA Division I Men's National Champions, were nationally ranked in the top-five both times. UOP previously topped No. 5 USC on Sept. 28 at the MPSF Invitational, 16-15.

 
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

• Both teams recorded 35 overall shots in the match, with Pacific slightly edging the Trojans in shot percentage. The Tigers recorded a .343 clip while USC came in at .314.
• The Tigers were 3-13 on the power play, but ultimately stifled the Trojan offense (0-6) and denied USC from scoring on their six power play opportunities.
• Pacific's Jon Barry and USC's Nico Porter both recorded ten saves in the match.

 
FIRST PERIOD:

• Looking to get back in the win column, the Tigers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on a goal from redshirt senior Luke Pavillard at 4:54 in the first period.
• USC countered with two goals in the next two minutes, claiming a 2-1 lead midway through the opening frame.
• Pacific closed out the period when Colak scored his first goal of the match on an assist from freshman Djordje Stanic, tying the game at two at the 0:49 mark. 

SECOND PERIOD:

• Freshman standout Jeremie Cote scored first goal of the match (32^nd overall) at the 5:31 mark as the Tigers regained the lead from the Trojans, 3-2.
• The match proved to be a battle in the first half as both teams scored two goals each in the minutes following Cote's goal. Hosmer and Andrea De Nardi would both find the back of the net for the Tigers as Pavillard delivered an assist before each of these goals.
• Aiming to head in the locker room with momentum, Colak netted his second goal of the match at 2:48 in the second period, followed by Luis Araya's ninth overall goal of the season at the 1:35 mark. Pacific held a 7-4 lead at the halftime break.

 
THIRD PERIOD:

• Despite USC's goal to open the period, sophomore Bogdan Djerkovic would join the goal party at the 5:25 mark. This goal marked was the first for Djerkovic since Sept. 28, when he scored in the Tigers first win over the Trojans at the MPSF Invitational.
• As the quarter continued, Cote kept applying pressure on his opponents by scoring his second goal of the match at 3:51 in the third period. Cote is now second on the team with 33 overall goals on the season.
• With the clock winding down, Colak completed his fourth hat-trick of the year as his third goal of the day put Pacific up 10-8 with 41 seconds left in the period. 

FOURTH PERIOD:

• USC tied the game on a goal just thirty seconds into the fourth period, but De Nardi would respond just a few minutes later as his second goal of the match helped the Tigers jump back in front, 11-10.
• The Trojans countered with one last goal at 4:02 in the fourth period, but Araya would provide a highlight-reel moment for all in sight as his helicopter goal at the 3:37 mark proved to be the winning goal for Pacific.
• The Tigers would hold on defense following Araya's goal, defeating No. 4 USC by a final score of 12-11. This victory moves UOP to 11-2 overall on the season, keeping them atop the GCC standings as of Oct. 12.

 
WHAT COACH GRAHAM SAID:
 
On the team's victory: "I'm really proud of our team. We've found a way to get a number of close wins against top opponents, including USC, who are the defending national champions, and we are 2-0 against them. The big thing about that is not just the confidence that it builds for us during the season knowing that we can go out and win a national championship this year, but it also puts us in the driver's seat right now to have a chance at an at-large bid."
 
On the team going forward: "Not only have we never beat USC as a water polo program two times in the same season, but we now have multiple routes to the NCAA championship. We now have the opportunity to win the conference or be one of the two best teams at-large. We're excited about what the guys have done, but the next week is critical, so we can't spend too much time enjoying this. We have to continue and get ready to prepare, but it's a good feeling that I can enjoy at least tonight."

 
UP NEXT: Pacific will travel to Los Angeles to face off against No. 2 UCLA on Friday, Oct. 18. This will be the first meeting of the season between the Bruin and the Tigers, with both teams sitting at eleven overall wins on the year. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:00 pm. Video and live stats can be found on pacifictigers.com