No. 3 UCLA women’s water polo (18-2, 4-1 MPSF) is gearing up for its final regular-season conference matchup of 2026 when it faces No. 1 USC (20-2, 5-0) on Saturday at Uytengsu Aquatics Center. The Bruins look to clinch their third consecutive win against their crosstown foe this season, with a victory setting up the Westwood squad to top the conference regular-season standings. Assistant Sports editor Ella Dunderdale breaks down the Trojan lineup ahead of the clash.

Personnel:
Coach: Casey Moon
Best Player: Emily Ausmus
Strength: Offensive power
Weakness: Consistency in the cage
X-Factor: Meghan McAninch

The Trojans are No. 1 for a reason.

The squad toppled then-No. 1 Stanford on March 22, besting the reigning national champions by a single goal and handing them their first loss in nearly a year.

But that is not the only mark on USC’s resume.

It has accumulated 14 ranked wins in 2026 and owns a perfect conference record. The Trojans tend to dominate squads, winning by an average of 8.4 goals and knocking in 17.6 of their own per game.

This offensive tenacity is driven by attacker Emily Ausmus, who paces the squad with 60 total goals, good for third in the MPSF. She owns the highest shot percentage among consistent contributors with a .638 clip. The Riverside local set the program single-season scoring record in 2025 with 114 goals, netting at least one in every contest last season.

She boasts a wealth of international experience to support the squad as well, competing with Team USA in the 2024 Olympics, where she scored a trio of goals in Paris.

But the sophomore is also a two-way threat, boasting a team-high 34 steals and 14 field blocks, good for the second-most and most in the conference, respectively, stifling opposing offenses.

The Trojans utilize a more collaborative style of play, recording 302 assists to their opponents’ 108, underscoring a strategy that prioritizes ball movement and team chemistry.

This is orchestrated by attackers Maggie Johnson and Meghan McAninch, who have tallied 45 and 41 assists, respectively. McAninch tops it off with 50 goals of her own – exceeding last season’s 47-goal total.

The only squad that seems to be capable of stifling USC?

Its crosstown rival.

The Bruins defeated the Trojans on Feb. 1 and 14, capitalizing on a higher shot percentage despite taking fewer attempts than their crosstown foe. In the Feb. 1 battle, UCLA scored on all 12 shots it took, while USC went 9-for-29.

But those results also point to a larger trend in USC’s defensive play, where its field unit adeptly forces turnovers and prevents shot attempts, but those that are allowed tend to penetrate the cage.

The Trojans have allowed double-digit goals in 11 games this season – compared to just four for the Bruins and three for the Cardinal. They have also shown a slight defensive dip in the fourth period, allowing a team-high average of 2.9 goals in the final frame, exemplified when the squad allowed nine goals from the Bruins in the second half of their Feb. 14 showdown.

This defense is anchored by goalkeeper Anna Reed, who ranks fourth in the MPSF with 150 saves and has accumulated 30 steals. Although the Newport Beach, California, local opened the season by matching her career-high 13 saves against then-No. 18 UC Santa Barbara, her game-by-game save percentage has fluctuated significantly, posting 100% and 22% marks in back-to-back contests.

But regardless of the Trojans’ history with their crosstown foe, their upcoming matchup alone will determine which squad may end up on top in conference play.