UCLA
California
No. 1 UCLA Beats No. 3 California, 8-6
September 20, 2015 | Men's Water Polo
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STANFORD, Calif., -- The top-ranked UCLA Bruins improved to 8-0 on the year with a hard-fought 8-6 win over No. 3 and fourth-seeded California (7-1) in the semifinals of the Kap7 NorCal Invitational on Sunday afternoon at Stanford's Avery Pool.
Junior Patrick Fellner led all scorers with three goals in the win.
The Bruins jumped out to a 2-0 advantage with goals from junior Chancellor Ramirez off a feed from junior Ryder Roberts (2:43) and then a goal at two meters by junior Gordon Marshall (2:00). Colin Mulcahy answered with a goal at full strength (1:48) to end the scoring in the first with UCLA leading 2-1.
UCLA dominated a defensive-minded second period, pitching a shutout while scoring twice. Sophomore Matt Farmer took a feed from senior Daniel McClintick at set and scored to put UCLA up 3-1 (5:11). Fellner ended the scoring in the period to give UCLA a 4-1 lead at the break off an assist by sophomore Max Irving (1:52).
California opened a wild third period with a goal by Odysseas Masmanidi (7:48). Then Fellner scored his second (7:10) to push the lead to 5-2. But the Golden Bears scored three straight goals to tie it at 5-5. Luca Cupido scored a penalty (6:58) and Conor Neumann picked up a goal at full strength (6:29). Then Johnny Hooper tied it with a power play goal (5:14). UCLA settled down and Fellner completed a hat trick (5:02) and Roberts scored a power play goal (1:35) to put the Bruins up 7-5 at the end of three periods.
Cal scored the first goal of the final period with Masmanidi getting his second goal of the match (5:54) to cut the lead to 7-6. But McClintick quickly answered (5:28) with a goal off a feed from Roberts to push the lead to 8-6. Both defenses took over and the Bruins held on for the 8-6 win.
Junior Garrett Danner got the start in the cage for the Bruins and played the entire match, registering a season-best 13 saves, including a huge stop on a penalty shot by Mulcahy at the 4:44 mark of the fourth period. Danner tallied a team-high seven of UCLA's 18 steals for the match. Lazar Andric was credited with six stops in goal for California.
UCLA was a paltry 3-for-12 on power plays but California was worse at 1-for-8. One of UCLA's conversions was a 6-on-4 opportunity. The Bruins did not attempt a penalty shot while Cal was 1-for-2.
The Bruins will face the winner of No. 3 Stanford at 6:15 p.m. tonight in the championship game at Avery Pool. The Bruins have won the last two NorCal titles.
No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 3 California (Kap7 NorCal Invitational Semifinals)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
| No. 3 California | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 6 |
| No. 1 UCLA | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
6x5 - UCLA - 3/12 - California - 1/8
Penalties - UCLA - 0/0 - California - 1/2
California Goals: Odysseas Masmanidi 2, Luca Cupido 1, Colin Mulcahy 1, Johnny Hooper 1, Conor Neumann 1
California Saves: Lazar Andric 6
UCLA Goals: Patrick Fellner 3, Chancellor Ramirez 1, Ryder Roberts 1, Gordon Marshall 1, Daniel McClintick 1, Matt Farmer 1
UCLA Saves: Garrett Danner 13
