USC beats UCLA for water polo title

USC won its second consecutive NCAA men’s water polo title Sunday, holding off UCLA, 7-6, at Princeton, N.J.

USC (26-2) surged to a 3-0 lead on first-period goals by Peter Kurzeka, Shea Buckner and J.W. Krumpholz, then spent the rest of the day clinging to that lead.

“We’ve got 10 graduating seniors,” said Jordan Thompson, voted the tournament MVP after scoring two goals, including a blind over-the-head shot that startled UCLA goalie Chay Lapin. “When you spend that much time in the water with each other, it’s even more special.”

UCLA finished 23-7 and closed the margin to 7-6 on Ben Hohl’s third goal of the game with 2:13 left.

SOCCER

North Carolina wins 21st title

Jessica McDonald scored in the third minute and the North Carolina women’s soccer team won its second straight NCAA championship with a 1-0 win over Stanford in the Women’s College Cup final at College Station, Texas.

The Tar Heels (23-3-1) earned their 21st national title (20 NCAA, one AIAW) and their sixth NCAA crown since 1999. They recorded their 10th shutout in 11 games, holding the high-scoring Cardinal to nine shots.

Stanford (25-1) failed in its bid to join North Carolina as the only teams to finish a perfect season -- no losses or ties -- with a championship. The Tar Heels have done that four times (1991-93, 2003).

Monterrey and Cruz Azul will meet in next week’s Mexican Apertura championship final after coming through the semifinals this weekend. Monterrey beat Toluca, 3-1, on aggregate. Cruz Azul, which had tied 0-0 with Morelia in their first meeting, rallied for a 2-1 victory to secure its place.

GOLF

It takes a playoff, but Allenby wins

Australia’s Robert Allenby won the Nedbank Challenge at Sun City, South Africa, beating Sweden’s Henrik Stenson on the third hole of a playoff.

Allenby closed with a one-under-par 71 to match Stenson (69) at 11-under 277 on the Gary Player Country Club course. The winner earned $1.2 million.

Troy Merritt had a three-stroke lead over Graham Delaet when fifth-round play in the rain-delayed PGA Tour qualifying tournament was suspended for the day because of darkness at West Palm Beach, Fla. . . . Norway’s Marianne Skarpnord shot a two-under 70 on the Champions Course to take a one-stroke lead over Nicole Jeray and Amanda Blumenherst after the fourth round of the LPGA qualifying tournament at Daytona Beach, Fla.

WINTER SPORTS

Davis wins 1,000 at World Cup

American star Shani Davis set the track record in winning the men’s 1,000 meters at the World Cup in Calgary, Canada.

Davis finished in 1 minute 6.91 seconds at the Olympic Oval, well ahead of Lee Kyou-Hyuk of South Korea in 1:07.61.

Switzerland’s Carlo Janka won a giant slalom at Beaver Creek, Colo., to become the first man in more than 2 1/2 years with three consecutive World Cup victories. . . . Lindsey Vonn’s bid for three World Cup wins in three days came up just short when she was edged by Elisabeth Goergl of Austria in the super-G at Lake Louise, Canada.

ETC.

NHL suspends Flyers’ Carcillo

The NHL has suspended Philadelphia Flyers forward Dan Carcillo four games for his role in a fight that earned him a whopping 19 penalty minutes and a game misconduct. . . . Spain completed a 5-0 victory over the Czech Republic in the Davis Cup finals at Barcelona.