Water Polo for Women | March 26, 2024
Story Connections Following a decisive victory over No. 2 California, USC women’s water polo won every MPSF weekly award. Carolyne Stern and Ava Stryker, who both contributed significantly to the triumph, win their first awards of the year: Stern is named MPSF Player of the Week, and Stryker is named MPSF Newcomer of the Week.
In No. 5 USC’s 8-7 victory over No. 2 Cal, Stern recorded 12 saves. During the fourth quarter, he made multiple crucial stops to thwart the Golden Bears’ attempts to mount a late rally. With a 1-0 record in MPSF play, it was Stern’s fifth double-digit save performance of the year and helped USC advance to 14-4 overall. Stern made this choice for his second career.
When shooting against the Golden Bears, Stryker was 3-for-5. She tied the score at three points in the opening frame by scoring twice to help USC stay even with Cal. In the third, Stryker scored her third goal and an 8-5 lead for USC on a 6-on-5 play. This goal proved to be the game-winning one as USC won 8-7. In the win, she also recorded a steal, an assist, and a drew exclusion. Stryker now leads USC in scoring with 37 goals after her hat trick against Cal. She has scored in each of the last 12 games for USC.
