UCLA
California (Championship)
UCLA Wins MPSF Tournament Title
November 23, 2015 | Men's Water Polo
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LOS ANGELES -- The top-ranked UCLA Bruins captured their first MPSF Tournament title since 2011 with a 12-11 overtime win over No. 3 California (23-6) in the finals of the 2015 MPSF Tournament at USC's Uytengsu Aquatics Center on Sunday evening. The Bruins improved to 28-0 on the year, winning their 31st-straight victory, which extends the second-longest winning streak in school history. The all-time record is 50, which was established from 1964-68.
Sophomore Max Irving led the Bruins in scoring with three goals. Seniors Daniel McClintick and Anthony Daboub each scored twice. Junior goalkeeper Garrett Danner registered a career-high 21 saves for the Bruins.
California got on the board first with a goal from Pedro Stellet (6:39). But the Bruins answered with three straight goals to take a 3-1 lead. Senior Daniel McClintick (5:16), junior Ryder Roberts (4:37) and freshman Spencer Farrar (4:14) all scored goals for the Bruins. After Thomas Agramonte cut the lead to 3-2 (3:54), sophomore Max Irving became the Bruins' fourth different scorer in the period (2:30). McClintick fired his second goal with 0:47 remaining to put UCLA up 5-2. But the Golden Bears got a goal from Colin Mulcahy (0:16) to end the scoring in the first with UCLA leading 5-3.
Senior Anthony Daboub scored the only goal in a defensive-minded second period at the 2:48 mark to provide a 6-3 lead at the half.
The Golden Bears closed the gap to 6-5 with two quick goals (7:45 and 7:17) and a stop on a penalty shot by Roberts to open the third period. Irving scored his second goal at 4:13 to push the lead to 7-5. Sophomore Jack Grover received a perfect pass from junior Patrick Fellner at set and scored a nifty back-handed goal (3:25) to extend the lead to 8-5. California again scored back-to-back goals (3:00 and 2:19) to close to within one goal at 8-7. But Daboub scored his second of the game (1:49) to end the scoring in the third with UCLA leading 9-7.
Junior Gordon Marshall scored a power play goal off a nice feed from McClintick (5:57) to push the lead back to three goals at 10-7. But Cal again got back-to-back goals from Thomas Carroll (5:36) and Mulcahy (4:11) to trim the lead to 10-9. Luca Cupido scored a power play goal with 0:52 left to send the game into overtime, tied at 10-10.
Irving gave the Bruins an 11-10 lead at the end of the first overtime period with a power play goal (0:06). Fellner scored a power play goal to open the scoring in the second overtime period to push the lead to 12-10 (1:38). Carroll scored his second of the game to make it 12-11 (0:33) and the Bruins were able to hold off Cal.
Lazar Andric was credited with 13 saves for the Golden Bears.
UCLA went 3-for-12 on power plays while the Golden Bears were 5-for-15. California went 0-for-1 on penalty shots while the Bruins were 0-for-2.
The Bruins have earned the MPSF's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, which UCLA hosts Dec. 5 and 6 at Dirks Pool at Spieker Aquatics Center. In all likelihood, UCLA has secured the No. 1 seed. The selection and seedings will be announced later tonight.
No. 3 California vs. No. 1 UCLA (MPSF Tournament - Finals)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1OT | 2OT | F |
| No. 3 California | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 11 |
| No. 1 UCLA | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 12 |
6x5 - UCLA - 3/12 - CAL - 5/15
Penalties - UCLA - 0/2 - CAL - 0/1
CAL Goals: Luca Cupido 3, Odysseas Masmanidis 2, Colin Mulcahy 2, Thomas Agramonte, Thomas Carroll 1, Johnny Hooper 1, Pedro Stellet 1
CAL Saves: Lazar Andric 13
UCLA Goals: Max Irving 3, Daniel McClintick 2, Anthony Daboub 2, Ryder Roberts 1, Gordon Marshall 1, Spencer Farrar 1, Patrick Fellner 1, Jack Grover 1
UCLA Saves: Garrett Danner 21
