Bruins to Defend NCAA Title at Home
December 02, 2015 | Men's Water Polo
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On Deck This Week
No. 1 UCLA (28-0, 9-0 MPSF) hosts the 2015 NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship on Dec. 5-6 at Dirks Pool at Spieker Aquatics Center. In the first play-in game, No. 4 seed Princeton (22-4) will take on No. 5 seed UC San Diego (14-13) at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 3 at USC's Uytengsu Aquatics Center. The winner will be placed in the championship bracket to play No. 1 seed UCLA (28-0) on Saturday, Dec. 5 at 4:00 p.m. at UCLA's Dirks Pool at Spieker Aquatics Center. In the second-play-in game, No. 3 seed Southern California (20-6) will play No. 6 seed Claremont Mudd-Scripps (21-7) at 7:00 p.m. at USC with the winner advancing to the championship bracket to play No. 2 seed California (23-6). That semifinal will be at UCLA at 6:12 p.m. on Dec. 5. The third-place game will be played at 4:00 p.m. on Dec. 6, with the championship game at 6:12 p.m. The four championship games at UCLA will be streamed live on NCAA.com.
Follow the Bruins' Quest for 113
Fans can access ticket links as well as live streams, stats and schedule information for the 2015 NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship at the NCAA Tournament Central page on this web site. USC will also be live streaming the play-in games on Dec. 3, here.
2015 NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship
Defending champion UCLA is the host institution for the 2015 NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship on Dec. 5-6 at Dirks Pool at Spieker Aquatics Center. For more information on the Championship, click here. Tickets are on sale now for two-day packages for $65.00 for adults (general admission) and $35.00 for youth and students. There is also two-day packages for &75.00 for adults/youth/students (deck seating) for $75.00. To purchase tickets, click here.
MPSF Statistical Rankings
There are three Bruins in the top 25 of the latest MPSF statistical rankings in scoring, led by junior attacker Ryder Roberts at No. 5 (54 goals, 25 games, 2.16 gpg). Junior attacker Patrick Fellner is third on the team in scoring with 36 goals (1.57 gpg), which ranks tied for 20th in the MPSF, with his teammate, sophomore Max Irving, who is second on the team in scoring with 44 goals (1.57 gpg). He has scored 19 goals in his last nine games (2.11 gpg).
Goalies Leading the Pack
While all four Bruins have spent time in the cage for UCLA this season, only junior Garrett Danner has played enough quarters to qualify for the MPSF rankings. Danner currently leads the league in goals against average at 6.08 gaa. It is the third-straight year he has accomplished that feat. He is also second in the MPSF in saves per game (12.69 spg). The remaining three goalkeepers all have solid goals against averages this season with sophomore Elliot Ordway leading the group (2.67 gaa), followed by sophomore Aleksandar Ruzic (3.64 gaa) and freshman Alex Wolf (4.05 gaa).
True Freshmen Earn Caps
Three true freshmen earned a cap this season and have made an impact in 2015. Those newcomers include goalkeeper Alex Wolf (Huntington Beach, Calif./Huntington Beach HS), attacker Spencer Farrar (Malibu, Calif./Agoura HS) and utility Max Staresinic (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny HS). Wolf has played 26.68 quarters in goal for the Bruins and has registered 71 saves while allowing 27 goals (4.05 gaa). Farrar has notched 29 goals which is fifth on the team and he is only one of four Bruins to play in all 28 matches. He is also fifth on the team in steals with 22. Staresinic has played in seven matches, starting once, and has tallied five goals, four steals and three assists.
Daboub Getting it Done
Senior defender Anthony Daboub is third on the team in scoring over the last 14 games, tallying 23 goals in that span (1.6 gpg). He has recorded at least one goal in 11 of those contests, including a career-high four goals in the Kap7 SoCal Invitational title victory over No. 2 USC on Oct. 11. He had only scored a total of seven goals in his first 14 games of the year. With 30 goals scored this season, it is the most in a single season for his career (had 22 his sophomore season in 2013).
Roberts Leads in Multiple Categories
Junior attacker Ryder Roberts continues to lead the team in scoring with 54 goals on the year (2.16 gpg), which ranks fifth in the league. He leads the team in assists (36), sprints won (23) and field blocks (16) and is third in steals (28). He has played in 25 games this year and has scored at least one goal in 24 of them (none in the 12-8 win at Stanford (Oct. 17)). He has scored at least two goals in 17 games this season.
Irving Picking Up His Scoring
Attacker Max Irving has scored at least one goal in 14 of the last 15games (none in the 6-3 MPSF semifinal win over No. 4 USC), which snapped a career-best streak of 12 games for the sophomore. He is second on the team in scoring over the last 14 games, tallying 25 goals in that span (1.8 gpg). That has vaulted him into second on the squad in scoring with 44 goals (1.57 gpg) on the year, which currently ranks tied for 20th in the MPSF.
Fellner on Fire
Attacker Patrick Fellner is third on the team in scoring with 36 total goals, but tied for second in goals against average (1.57 gpg), which ranks tied for 20th in the MPSF. The junior had scored at least one goal in 12 games, a career-best streak, until being shutout in the regular season finale win at home over No. 4 USC (Nov. 15). Fellner is second on the team in sprints won (18) and fourth in field blocks (eight) and also has tallied 11 steals and 10 assists.
McClintick Returning to Form
Attacker Daniel McClintick is returning to form that saw him named the 2014 NCAA Championship MVP. He has scored at least one goal in each of his last five games for a total of 11 goals in that span (2.2 gpg). He is tied for sixth on the team in scoring with 22 goals and is second on the team in assists (33) and field blocks (15) and is sixth in steals (16).
Marshall Has Been Solid
Junior center Gordon Marshall is tied for sixth on the team in scoring with 22 goals. He leads the team in exclusions drawn (54) and is second in penalties drawn (four). He has scored 10 of his goals from two meters and nine on Bruin power plays.
Defending Champions
UCLA won its ninth title in men's water polo in 2014 with the 9-8 win over USC on Dec. 7. It was the school's 112th NCAA Championship, which leads the nation.
National Rankings
UCLA retained its spot atop the CWPA Top 20 Poll for the seventh straight week. Below is the top 10:
| Rank | Team | Last Week | Points |
| 1 | UCLA | 1 | 100 |
| 2 | California | 2 | 94 |
| 3 | USC | 3 | 91 |
| 4 | Pacific | 4 | 85 |
| 5 | Stanford | 5 | 81 |
| 6 | UC Irvine | 6 | 74 |
| 7 | UC Santa Barbara | 7 | 71 |
| 8 | Long Beach State | 8 | 63 |
| 9 | Princeton | 9 | 60 |
| 10 | UC San Diego | 10 | 53 |
Seven Bruins Earn All-MPSF Accolades
Seven UCLA men's water polo players have been selected to All-MPSF Teams, as announced by the conference office on Nov. 24. Junior goalkeeper Garrett Danner was the lone goalie named First Team All-MPSF and he was also named the league's Most Valuable Player. Junior center Gordon Marshall and junior attacker Ryder Roberts were also named First Team All-MPSF. Senior utility Daniel McClintick and senior defender Anthony Daboub were named Second Team All-MPSF. Junior attacker Patrick Fellner and sophomore attacker Max Irving were both named Honorable Mention All-MPSF. The seven players receiving all-conference honors is up from six a year ago and five in 2013.
