USC Beats Stanford in Double-OT to Take Men’s NCAA Water Polo Crown

STANFORD, Calif., December 7. The University of Southern California won the NCAA men's water polo title today, with freshman Trevor Clark scoring in the final minute of the second overtime to seal a 9-7 victory over Stanford.

USC's Predag Damjanov scored three goals to help the men of Troy's water
polo team (23-3) win its second NCAAA Championship here at Stanford's Avery Aquatic Center. The victory was SC's second in the last five years. The Trojans' first title was also against Stanford in 1998, also in double-overtime!.

USC's victory also put paid to Stanford's hopes for a three-peat as the
Cardinal was double-defending national champ, having beaten Cal last year
and UCLA the year before. SC's win left intact Cal's record 11
championships. Stanford had 10 going into tonight's match.

Stanford's Tony Azevedo, NCAA Player of the Year the last two seasons,
scored four goals for Stanford (22-5) but his heroics weren't quite
enough.

Azevedo gave the Cardinal a 7-6 lead with 2:48 remaining in regulation play. Gadi Hadar, who had two goals, scored on a power play with 1:31 left to send the game into overtime.

Cameron Kaiser also scored twice for USC.

The Trojans beat Stanford in all four meetings between the teams this year,
including an 8-6 win last Sunday in the finals of the Mountain Pacific
Sports Federation tournament.

Loyola Marymount defeated Navy 10-7 in the third-place game.

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