LOS ANGELES, CA- The #19 ranked Hartwick women's water polo team continued its West Coast trip with a game against the #1 ranked team in the country, the University of Southern California, on Thursday. The Hawks were defeated by the Trojans 21-5.

Sami Capparelli (Miami, FL) and Jemma Dendy Young (Cape Town, South Africa) both scored twice to lead Hartwick. Britt Tait (Kariong, Australia) contributed one goal. Goalie Michaela Davies (Cronulla, Australia) stopped four shots in the cage for the Hawks.

The Trojans were led by Stephania Haralabidis' four goals. Monica Vavic scored three times. Kaleigh Gilchrist, Ioanna Haralabidis, Colleen O'Donnell, Jayde Appel, Eike Daube, and Jennifer Stiefel all had a pair of scores. Olivia Cummins and Kelly Mendoza both tallied one goal. Flora Bolonyai had eight saves in three periods of play. Melanie turned away three shots in one period in goal.

USC scored the game's first two goals in the first quarter to take a 2-0 lead. The Hawks would trim that lead as Capparell's score put Hartwick on the board to make it a 2-1 game at 5:22. USC scored three more times in the quarter to go up 5-1 with 3:48 remaining in the period. Dendy Young's goal 16 seconds later narrowed the Trojan lead to 5-2.

It was all USC from there on as the hosts rattled off 13 straight goals to go ahead 18-2 late in the third quarter. Capparelli's second tally of the day ended the Trojan streak with 43 seconds remaining in the third stanza. Both teams scored twice in the final quarter to complete the scoring.

Hartwick completes its California stay with a match against #12 Long Beach State tomorrow night. Game time will be at 7 p.m. local time.


#1 USC 21, #19 Hartwick 5
March 27, 2014 - Uytengsu Aquatics Center (Los Angeles, Calif.)
USC 8 - 6 - 5 - 2 = 21
HART 2 - 0 - 1 - 2 = 5

SCORING:
USC -- Stephania Haralabidis 4, Monica Vavic 3, Kaleigh Gilchrist 2, Ioanna Haralabidis 2, Colleen O'Donnell 2, Jayde Appel 2, Eike Daube 2, Jennifer Stiefel 2, Olivia Cummins, Kelly Mendoza.
HART -- Sami Capparelli 2, Jemma Dendy Young 2, Britt Tait.

SAVES: Flora Bolonyai (USC) 8 [3 periods], Melanie Slater (USC) 3 [1 period], Michaela Davies (HART) 4.