LOS ANGELES – Stanford’s all-time leading scorer Bret Bonanni scored his third goal of the game towards the end of regulation to force a 6-6 tie with USC, but the Trojans scored with 1:32 to play in overtime to outlast the Cardinal and advance to the semifinals of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Men’s Water Polo Championships Friday in Los Angeles.
The Cardinal (20-8) battled back from a pair of two-goal deficits to force its second overtime game against the Trojans (19-5) this season. In the first half on Friday, Stanford used a pair of scores from Bonanni in the final two minutes of the second quarter to tie it up at 4-4 at the half, with his second score coming off a five-meter penalty shot with time expired in the half.
Down, 6-4, with two minutes remaining in the third quarter, Stanford fought back again, scoring the final two goals of regulation to force overtime. Redshirt junior Adam Abdulhamid made it 6-5 with 1:39 left in the third quarter to pull the Cardinal within one score. Bonanni then recorded his 67th career hat trick, rattling the cage with 6:20 to play to tie it up.
Stanford and USC searched hard for the game-winner in regulation, with both goalies registering several key stops in the final minutes.
Near the end of the first overtime period, USC’s Grant Stein notched his fourth goal of the game, which proved to be the game winner for the Trojans, who advance to Saturday’s semifinal game.
Junior Drew Holland registered 10 saves for the Cardinal in the contest.
Bonanni added to his school record tally with his three scores on Friday, pushing the senior’s career total to 353.
Stanford will next play on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. against either UCLA or Long Beach State.
