LOS ANGELES — No. 3 University of Southern California Men’s Water Polo defeated Air Force 21-8 in their final home game of the regular season on October 24, 2026. The Trojans improved to 14-3 on the season with a 6-2 home record.
USC controlled the match from the outset, taking a 5-1 lead after the first quarter and extending it to 11-2 by halftime. In the second half, the Trojans maintained their dominance, highlighted by Strahinja Krstic’s hat trick in the third quarter and overall five goals for the contest.
Krstic matched his career high with six points and leads USC with 47 goals this season. Luke Nelson contributed three goals, while Efe Naipoglu added two goals and a team-high four assists, marking his third consecutive game with four assists and scoring in all 17 games this season. Gavin Conant also matched his career high with five points from two goals and three assists.
Defensively, USC limited Air Force to eight goals while three different Trojans recorded three or more steals. The game was USC’s sixth of the season scoring at least 20 goals and extended their streak to eleven consecutive games with at least two field blocks.
USC will continue MPSF competition with back-to-back road games against No. 2 Stanford and No. 4 California in Northern California.
CSB Take
The convincing win over Air Force highlights USC Men’s Water Polo’s offensive depth and strong defensive capabilities as they head into challenging MPSF road contests against top-ranked opponents. Strahinja Krstic’s consistent scoring combined with the playmaking of teammates like Efe Naipoglu and Gavin Conant reflects a balanced and potent team. Maintaining this form will be crucial for USC’s postseason aspirations and conference standing.
Source: Original report
