No. 3 UCLA Faces No. 2 California in MPSF Semifinals

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ON DECK THIS WEEK
Third-seeded UCLA (18-3, 1-2 MPSF) opens up postseason play this weekend at the 2017 MPSF Championship at Stanford's Avery Aquatic Center on Nov. 17 at 4:30 p.m. PT when it takes on defending NCAA Champion and second-seeded California (18-2, 2-1 MPSF). The winner of the UCLA/California game will advance to Sunday's championship contest while the loser will return to action on Saturday at noon against the third-place team from a group that includes No. 1 seed Stanford, No. 4 USC and No. 5 Penn State Behrend. The winner of Saturday's game will compete for third place on Sunday at 11 a.m. and the championship match is set for Sunday at 1 p.m. Sunday's matches will be televised live by Pac-12 Networks with Jim Watson and Greg Mescall calling the action..

SERIES HISTORY
This is the 154th meeting between UCLA and California with the Bruins leading the all-time series, 85-67-1. Three of the last four meetings between UCLA and Cal have all gone into overtime, with the Bruins posting a 9-8 win in this year's first meeting (Sept. 23). The Golden Bears won the last meeting in Los Angeles, 12-9, on Oct. 21. The two teams scored the same amount of goals in the first and fourth quarters. But Cal outscored UCLA 4-3 in the second to lead 7-6 at the half, and then posted a 3-1 advantage in the third to provide a 10-7 cushion heading into the fourth. Last year the Bruins defeated Cal in the semifinals of the MPSF Tournament, 11-10, on Nov. 18. The Golden Bears would avenge that loss with a 9-8 win in the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament on Dec. 4, that snapped a 10-game losing skid to the Bruins. In the last 10 years (since 2007), the two teams have met a total of 31 times (UCLA 19-12 in those games) with 17 of those meetings decided by just one goal (UCLA 11-6 in those games) and eight of them going extra frames (UCLA 6-2 in those games).

LAST TIME OUT VS. CALIFORNIA
Third-ranked California used a strong third quarter to power past No. 2 UCLA in the MPSF opener for both teams on Oct. 21, winning 12-9 on the Pac-12 Networks at Dirks Pool at Spieker Aquatics Center. Senior Matt Farmer tied for game-high scoring honors, leading the Bruins with a hat trick. Freshman Nicolas Saveljic scored twice for UCLA while redshirt sophomore Alex Wolf played the entire game in goal, registering eight saves while surrendering 12 goals. Nikos Delagrammatikas got the Golden Bears on the board first with a score from the front court (7:03). Then Johnny Hooper put Cal up 2-0 with a counter score (5:39). But the Bruins came roaring back with three straight goals. Junior Warren Snyder scored on a power play off a nice feed from junior Austin Rone (5:19) to cut the lead to 2-1. Then Farmer scored on a counter for the Bruins (4:32) that tied the game at 2-2. Farmer then set up junior David Stiling for a one-timer on a 6-on-5 opportunity to give the Bruins a 3-2 lead (2:56). Safak Simsek tied it up for Cal with a power play goal with 0:05 left to end the scoring at 3-3 at the end of the first. Luca Cupido opened the scoring in the second to put Cal up 4-3 (7:35). But Saveljic converted a penalty shot (6:59) to tie the game at 4-4. Odysseas Masmanidis scored at set (6:47) to put the Golden Bears up 5-4 (6:47) and then Conor Neumann made it 6-4 (5:47) on a counter. Freshman Chasen Travisano set up Farmer for his second goal from two meters (5:24) to cut it to 6-5. But Masmanidis answered with his second at set (4:35) to push the lead to 7-5. Farmer completed his hat trick with another goal from two meters (0:48) to end the scoring in the first half with UCLA trailing 7-6. California took control of the game in the third quarter, scoring back-to-back goals to jump out to a 9-6 lead. Neumann opened the scoring with his second of the game (5:40) and then Cupido followed with his second (4:19). Saveljic netted his second with a bar-in ricochet for a score (3:02) that cut it to 9-7. But former Bruin Spencer Farrar scored a power play goal (0:37) to end the scoring in the third with the Golden Bears leading 10-7 through three periods. Travisano opened the scoring in the fourth (6:24) to cut the lead to 10-8. But Delagrammatikas notched his second of the game (5:20) to make it 11-8. Senior Alex Roelse cut it to 11-9 (3:46) with his first of the game. But Masmanidis completed his hat trick for Cal (3:27) on the next possession to end the scoring for the game and providing the 12-9 final.

REHASHING LAST WEEK
Fourth-ranked UCLA concluded the 2017 regular season with an epic 12-11 sudden victory over cross-town rival, No. 2 USC to earn its first conference win of the season on Nov. 11 on "Senior Day" at Dirks Pool at Spieker Aquatics Center. The Bruin seniors came up huge, scoring nine of the 12 goals, including the game-winning score from senior Alex Roelse at the 2:38 mark of the golden goal overtime period. With the win, the Bruins swept USC during the regular season, improving to 85-79-1 all-time against the Trojans. The win was the first sudden victory game for UCLA since a 10-9 SV-OT win over Stanford in the third-place game of the 2012 MPSF Championship (Nov. 25) at USC. Roelse tied for game-high honors with fellow senior Max Irving with four goals apiece. Senior Warren Snyder also scored in the contest. Redshirt sophomore Alex Wolf played the entire game, registering 14 saves while allowing 11 goals. He played a huge part in the Bruins' win down the stretch, registering five of his saves on Trojan power plays from the fourth quarter through the overtime periods. in the first overtime period, Blake Edwards gave the Trojans a 10-9 advantage with a drive and finish (0:21). But Saveljic had an immediate answer (0:12) just nine seconds later to tie it up at 10-10. Roelse completed his hat trick with a strike from the front court to open the scoring in the second overtime period (2:37) to give UCLA an 11-10 lead. But Lachlan Edwards scored on a backhanded shot from set (0:38) to tie the game at 11-11, sending the game into sudden victory. Saveljic won the sprint, giving UCLA the first possession. Senior Matt Farmer drew a penalty shot and Roelse converted it for his fourth score of the game (2:38 SVOT) to provide the 12-11 final.

SUDDEN IMPACT
Two of UCLA's top four scorers are true freshmen through the first 21 games of the 2017 season. Nicolas Saveljic (6-7, ATK, Kotor, Montenegro) leads UCLA in scoring with 39 goals (1.95 goals per game), which ranks 4th in the MPSF. He has scored at least one goal in 19 of the 20 games he has played (played only one quarter in the 20-9 win over No. 17 Cal Baptist (Oct. 13) and failed to score on only one shot). He also leads the team in steals (28) and in sprints won (19-of-30). Chasen Travisano (6-2, ATK, Glendora, Calif., Damien HS), is tied for 4th on the team in scoring with 26 goals (1.24 goals per game), which ranks tied for 19th in the MPSF. He is tied for second on the team in assists (26) and is also third in sprints won (7-of-17). He has scored at least one goal in 10 of the last 11 games (was shut out at No. 4 Stanford on Nov. 4).

FARMER NAMED MPSF/KAP7 PLAYER OF THE WEEK
UCLA senior Matt Farmer (La Grange, IL/Fenwick HS) was named the MPSF/KAP7 Player of the Week as announced by the league office on Oct. 30, 2017. Farmer led the Bruins in scoring with a career- and season-high-tying four goals in a 12-11 win over No. 5 Pacific (Oct. 28). Farmer scored one power play goal in the first and second periods, and then helped UCLA pull away from a three-goal halftime lead with two goals in the third period. He added one steal and drew one exclusion against the Tigers. This is the first career MPSF weekly honor for Farmer.

BRUINS IN MPSF RANKINGS
Five Bruins currently rank in the top 19 in the MPSF in scoring with freshman Nicolas Saveljic leading the way in 4th (39 goals, 1.95 gpg). Senior Max Irving is 8th with 36 goals (1.71 gpg) while senior Alex Roelse is tied for 13th with 29 goals (1.38 gpg). Senior Matt Farmer is tied for 19th with 26 goals (1.24 gpg) with his teammate, freshman Chasen Travisano. Redshirt Sophomore Alex Wolf is third in goals against average (7.11) and fourth in saves per game (10.67).

COACHING CHANGES
The UCLA men's water polo team has hired Bruin standout Ryder Roberts to the post of assistant coach and has promoted Jason Falitz to associate head coach, head coach Adam Wright announced on Aug. 16, 2017.

THE WRIGHT STUFF
Adam Wright is in his ninth season as UCLA's head men's water polo coach in 2017 with an overall record of 224-35 (.865) and an MPSF mark of 51-12 (.810). His teams earned perfect APR (Academic Progress Rate) scores of 1,000 in 2014, 2015 and 2016 while winning the school's 112th and 113th NCAA Championships in 2014 and 2015. On July 20, 2017, UCLA Director of Athletics, Dan Guerrero, announced that Wright will now guide both the UCLA men's and women's water polo teams.

KEEPERS OF THE STREAK
During the 2016 season, UCLA set school, conference and national records for consecutive wins (57) in collegiate men's water polo. The 57-game winning streak was the second-longest streak among all sports at UCLA (men's basketball won 88 consecutive games from 1971-74). The Bruins finished the season 25-3 overall. The 57 straight victories dated back to the 2014 campaign, UCLA's first of two consecutive national titles. The Bruins also won an MPSF and UCLA record 26 straight league games dating back to the 2013 season.

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No. 3 UCLA Faces No. 2 California in MPSF Semifinals

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