UCLA
Stanford
No. 3 UCLA Upends No. 1 Stanford, 6-5, In MPSF Opener
September 25, 1999 | Men's Water Polo
Sept. 25, 1999
STANFORD, Calif. - Junior Sean Kern scored the game-winning goal with just 22 seconds left in regulation to lead the No. 3 UCLA (5-1 overall, 1-0 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) men's water polo squad to a dramatic come from behind 6-5 victory over No. 1 Stanford (6-1, 0-1) Saturday at deGuerre Pool.
UCLA held a tight 1-0 halftime lead before the previously unbeaten Cardinal posted three points in the third quarter to jump ahead 3-1. But with one second to play in the third quarter, Kern (Honolulu, HI, Punahou HS) scored his first goal and pulled the Bruins to within one, 3-2.
UCLA tied the match at three on a goal by junior Adam Wright (Seal Beach, Wilson HS) at the 6:17 mark in the fourth quarter only to have Stanford's Pasi Dutton nail a two-point goal to put Stanford back on top. Bruin scoring leader and senior Matt Armato (Long Beach, Wilson HS) answered back with a two-point goal of his own to knot the match at five, setting up the eventual game-winner by Kern.
The Bruins will face No. 6 California (3-2 overall) Sunday at noon at the Spieker Aquatic Complex.
UCLA 1 0 1 4= 6 Stanford 0 0 3 2= 5
UCLA: Matt Armato 3 (1 two-pointer), Sean Kern 2, Adam Wright.
Stanford: Jonathan Skaalen 2 (1 two-pointer), Pasi Dutton 2 (1 two-pointer), Sean Joy.
Saves: UCLA-Parsa Bonderson 8, Stanford-Nick Ellis 14.
