HUNTSVILLE, Alabama — Antonio Mendez (Fr., Baltimore, Md.) scored four times as Great Lakes Division Champion/Division III No. 1-ranked Washington University in St. Louis exploited 3-1 and 1-0 scoring advantages in the first and fourth quarters, respectively, to shock two-time (2011, 2012) National Champion/Southwest Division Runner-up/No. 12 the University of Southern California, 11-9, in the quarterfinals of the 2021 Men’s National Collegiate Club Championship.
Competing at the Huntsville Aquatics Center in an event hosted by the University of Alabama and the Huntsville Sports Commission, the Bears pawed past the Trojans – who made the field following the decision of Southwest Division Champion San Diego State University to forego the National Championship event in 2021 – by the narrowest of margins.
Washington – which is competing in the program’s first National Collegiate Club Championship after claiming seven Division III National Championships (2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019) – will take on Pacific Coast Division Champion/No. 1 the University of California-San Diego at 6:20 p.m. during the evening of Saturday, November 13, at Huntsville for a berth in the 2021 Men’s National Collegiate Club Championship title game. UC-San Diego punched its ticket into the semifinals by turning back Mid-Atlantic Division Champion the University of Pennsylvania by an 18-5 count.
USC will seek to leave Alabama with a Top Five finish as the Trojans will take on Pennsylvania at 7:30 p.m. for a spot in the Fifth Place game. Historically, USC has previously placed First (2011, 2012), Second (2019) and Fourth (2017) as the team will need to run the table the rest of the way to maintain a streak of exclusively Top Five marks.
- Washington never trailed versus USC as Jake Engelberg (Fr., Los Angeles, Calif.) found the back of the cage 33 seconds into the game to stake the Bears to a 1-0 lead. Declan Cooper (So., Indian Wells, Calif.) balanced the scoreboard at one-all for USC with 5:01 on the clock , but Zach Hausner (So., Los Angeles, Calif.) (2:31) and Mendez (1:49, man-up) delivered on consecutive opportunities to push the Bears ahead 3-1.
- The Trojans shaved a goal off their deficit prior to the close of the opening quarter as Peyton Alonzo (Sr., Glendora, Calif.) lined in a five-meter penalty shot with 1:02 left to move USC within 3-2.
- Washington acquired some breathing room in the first four minutes of the second quarter as Hausner (6:00, 4:33) notched back-to-back natural markers prior to Mendez drilling in a man-up chance at 3:40 to widen the chasm between the programs to 6-2.
- Marko Ilincic (Jr., Huntington Beach, Calif.) answered for USC with a man-up goal at 3:02 before Mendez responded with a power-play cash-in at 2:28 to make it 7-3.
- The Trojans attempted to climb back into the game as Charlie Stemp (So., University Place, Wash.) (2:04, man-up; 1:21, even-strength) and Tim Greer (Gr., Ambler, Pa.) (10 seconds, even-strength) combined for a 3-0 surge at the conclusion of the second quarter to move USC within 7-6 after 14 minutes of action.
- USC completed the comeback with 5:53 left in the third quarter as Mitch Fargo (Sr., Redlands, Calif.) lined in a shot to square the teams at seven-all.
- Washington regained the lead as Alex Figueras (Sr., St. Louis, Mo.) (4:10, man-up) and Chris Allen (Fr., Fullerton, Calif.) (3:01, even-strength) pushed the Bears ahead 9-7.
- Fargo (2:46) pulled USC back to within one prior (9-8) to dueling five-meter penalty shots by Engelberg (1:15) and Fargo (53 seconds) set the scoreboard at 10-9 in favor of Washington through 21 minutes of action.
- Neither team was able to score again until the 2:20 mark of the fourth quarter when Mendez pumped in his fourth of the game for some insurance and the final blow in the Bears’ 11-9 victory.
- For Washington, Mendez (four), Hausner (three) and Engelberg (two) combined for nine of Washington’s 11 goals. FIgueras and Allen both chipped in solo markers.
- Fargo led the way for USC with four goals, while Stemp, Cooper, Ilincic, Alonzo and Greer each notched single scores.
| 1st Q | 2nd Q | 3rd Q | 4th Q | – | FINAL | |
| Washington University in St. Louis |
3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | – | 11 |
| University of Southern California | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | – | 9 |
| USC Goals: | Mitchell Fargo (4); Charlie Stemp; Declan Cooper; Marko Ilincic; Peyton Alonzo; Tim Greer | |||||
| Washington U Goals: | Antonio Mendez (4); Zach Hausner (3); Jake Engelberg (2); Alex Figueras; Chris Allen | |||||
| Exclusions: | USC – 11 ; Washington U – 16 | |||||
| Advantage Opportunities: | USC – 5-for-16 ; Washington U – 5-for-11 | |||||
| Sprints: | USC – 3-for-4 (1st, 2nd, 3rd) ; Washington U – 1-for-4 (4th) | |||||
| Cards/Misconducts: | MD – USC (Sean Choppin, 4:05 in 4th Q) | |||||
| Officials: | Brandon Nicholson; Tim Watson | |||||
University of Southern California’s Chad Derosier (#3) looks for an opening as Washington University in St. Louis’ Jake Engelberg (#9)
University of Southern California’s Tim Greer (#13)
University of Southern California’s Peyton Alonzo (#15) defends Washington University in St. Louis’ Zach Hausner (#11)
