BERKELEY, Calif. – Santa Clara men's water polo is in the midst of a difficult stretch in the schedule as the Broncos fell to their third-straight top-five opponent Friday, during opening-day action of the Mountain Pacific Invitational.
Chase Koplow scored a game-high three goals to lead No. 2-ranked USC to a 21-4 victory against the Broncos, who lost to No. 3 Cal and No. 4 Pacific at last week's Aggie Roundup in Davis, California. Fourteen Trojans (7-0) scored in the game, which was played at Cal's Spieker Pool.
The Broncos (4-5), one of 16 teams at the three-day tournament, had their best offensive outburst in the second half.
Mac Carey scored an exclusion goal with 6:08 left in the third quarter before Graham McCone and Dan Estrella tallied even strength markers to cut the deficit to 12-3 midway through the period, but the Trojans put the game away with four in a two-minute span.
Santa Clara, ranked 19th, will meet No. 11 UC Davis at 10:50 a.m. Saturday at Northgate High School in the consolation game in Bracket B. The Aggies were upended 7-5 by No. 7 Long Beach State in the bracket's other opening-round game, which was also played at Cal.
The Broncos will play another game Saturday afternoon and close out action in the tournament Sunday with one contest.