On Saturday, No. 12 UC San Diego women’s water polo (5-4, 0-0 Big West) struggled against No. 2 USC (8-1, 0-0 MPSF), losing 19-12 in the second match of the 2026 Triton Invitational at Canyonview Aquatic Center.
The Tritons entered the match as heavy underdogs, hoping to prove themselves against USC, the second-best team in the country.
The Trojans opened the first period with a bang, capitalizing on the Tritons’ exclusions to score three goals early in the match. USC’s perimeter defense forced several turnovers and limited the Tritons’ scoring ability. UCSD trailed the Trojans 5-2 to end the first period.
Entering the second quarter, Trojan sophomore attacker Emily Ausmus served as an accurate on-ball threat to extend USC’s lead 10-3. However, after a timeout, Triton senior attacker Sydney Munatones threw an open pass to senior utility player Cascade Stensland, who scored a momentum-shifting goal for UCSD.
The Tritons advanced, forcing the Trojans into multiple turnovers through a suffocating defense and success on the power play. Munatones and freshman attacker Caitlin Stayt’s quick and accurate ball movement helped surface two more goals. Despite this momentum, UCSD was unable to overcome USC’s early lead, closing the quarter 11-6 in favor of the Trojans.
The Tritons began to close the gap in the third quarter, scoring two early goals. However, Ausmus rose as a key attacker for the Trojans, utilizing fastbreak opportunities to bury three goals and helping USC establish a dominant 14-9 lead with five minutes left. Both teams maintained a strong defensive effort, causing a four-minute drought. The Tritons ended the period with a coordinated power play from redshirt freshman attacker Kenya Cassidy — a highlight despite their 5-point deficit.
The fourth quarter started with a fast-paced Trojan goal after the initial sprint. The Tritons hustled and dove for loose balls, preventing the Trojans from maintaining their offensive engine. This strenuous defense came at a cost, ultimately leading to more exclusion fouls, giving the Trojans two power-play goals. This offense helped the Trojans close out the game, cementing a 19-12 victory against the Tritons.
After an 8-7 loss against No. 9 Loyola Marymount later in the day and a 14-9 loss against No. 11 UC Irvine to cap off the weekend home-opener, UCSD took eighth place at the 2026 Triton Invitational. The Tritons have their sights set on a rematch against LMU at home this Saturday.
