UCLA
Pepperdine*
No. 3 UCLA Outlasts No. 5 Pepperdine, 7-5
November 12, 2005 | Men's Water Polo
Nov. 12, 2005
Los Angeles - The third-ranked UCLA men's water polo team extended its home winning streak to 20 matches with a 7-5 victory over No. 5 Pepperdine in a MPSF conference match at Sunset Canyon Recreation Center on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Bruins improve to 18-6 and 4-2 in MPSF competition, while the Waves fall to 15-9 and 1-5 in MPSF play.
Freshman Krsto Sbutega led the Bruins with three goals, as junior Logan Powell, sophomores Justin Johnson and Marco Santos, and freshman Patrick Morrison each scored a goal apiece.
Junior goalkeeper Will Didinger finished with seven saves.
Pepperdine jumped out to an early lead in the first period on a Jesse Smith goal at the 1:30 mark. The Bruins responded with three seconds left to play in the first on a goal by Santos.
UCLA took control of the momentum in the second period with three goals, while holding the Waves to only one goal, and went into halftime up 4-2.
A goal by Sbutega at the 6:02 mark in the third would put the Bruins up 5-2, but the Waves rallied in the third period with two goals of their own. Adam Hewko scored at the 5:41 mark and again at the 2:49 mark in the third to cut UCLA's lead to only 5-4 at the end of the third period.
The Bruins would tack on two more goals in the final period, one by Powell at the 4:43 mark, and another by Johnson to lead 7-4 with 2:47 left in the match. A goal by Pepperdine's Doug Mann at the 2:31 mark in the fourth would close the gap to 7-5, but the Waves would not get any closer.
The Bruins next play top-ranked USC on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 1 p.m. in the Sunset Canyon Recreation Center.
Results:
Team 1 2 3 4 Total UCLA 1 3 1 2 7 Pepperdine 1 1 2 1 5Goals:
UCLA: Sbutega (3), Morrison, Johnson, Powell, Santos
Pepperdine: Smith (2), Hewko (2), Mann
Saves:
UCLA: Didinger, 7
Pepperdine: Tait, 9
