UCLA
Pacific (Semifinals)
No. 1 UCLA Faces No. 5 Pacific on Saturday
December 01, 2017 | Men's Water Polo
The Bruins and the Tigers square off in the first NCAA Semifinal at 3:00 p.m. PT.
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ON DECK THIS WEEK
The Bruins open NCAA Tournament play as the top seed in the first semifinal vs. No. 5 Pacific on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 3:00 p.m. PT at USC's Uytengsu Aquatics Center. The game will be streamed live on NCAA.com with Greg Mescall calling all of the exciting action.
SERIES HISTORY
This is the 53rd meeting between UCLA and Pacific with the Bruins dominating the all-time series, 48-4. UCLA has won the last seven meetings, including a 9-8 thriller in the first meeting this year in the quarterfinals of the Mountain Pacific Invitational at USC on Sept. 23. The Bruins would later post a 12-11 win at home on Oct. 28. Pacific's last win was in the third-place game of the 2013 MPSF Tournament at Pacific, 10-9, on Dec. 1, 2013.
LAST TIME OUT VS. PACIFIC
In the last meeting between the two teams, UCLA led 12-7 with 4:34 to go and emptied its bench. Three-straight power play goals later, the Bruins led just 12-10 with 0:55 to go. The Tigers got a goal from distance from Luis Araya with 0:10 left and the Bruins ran out the clock to preserve the 12-11 win at Spieker Aquatics Center. Senior Matt Farmer led all scorers with a game-high four goals and senior Alex Roelse added a hat trick for the Bruins. Senior Aleksandar Ruzic got the starting nod in goal for the Bruins and made eight saves while allowing 11 goals (seven on power plays). John Hedges registered eight saves for Pacific while allowing all 12 goals (just four on power plays). Engin Ege Colak led the Tigers in scoring with three goals, all on power plays.
REHASHING THE BRUINS' LAST GAME
Third-ranked UCLA fell to fourth-ranked USC in the title game of the 2017 MPSF Championship on Nov. 19 at Stanford's Avery Aquatic Center by a score of 7-5. The Bruins struggled in power play situations, going 0-for-5 on offense and 5-for-10 on defense. Senior Jack Grover and freshman Nicolas Saveljic led the Bruins in scoring with a game-high-tying two goals. Redshirt sophomore Alex Wolf played the entire game, registering eight saves while allowing seven goals, five on Trojan power plays, two of which were deflected. McQuin Baron registered six saves for USC while allowing five goals at even strength. Matteo Morelli and Blake Edwards led the Trojans with two goals each.
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.
ADAM WRIGHT NAMED MPSF COACH OF THE YEAR
For the second time in his young career, UCLA head coach Adam Wright was named the MPSF Coach of the Year in 2017, guiding the No. 1 Bruins to the top seed in this year's NCAA Championship after losing eight seniors in 2015 and another nine in 2016. This year's team has nine true freshmen on the roster, six of which have played in at least 22 games each and made a combined total of 62 starts. In addition, redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Alex Wolf is playing his first full season as a starter after backing up 2016 MPSF Player of the Year, Garrett Danner in 2015 before sitting out last season with an undisclosed injury. UCLA combined for five player and newcomer of the week honors during the 2017 season.
SIX BRUINS EARN ALL-MPSF HONORS
Senior center Matt Farmer was the lone Bruin to earn first team All-MPSF accolades. Three Bruin seniors were named second team All-MPSF, which included utility Alex Roelse, utility Jack Grover and attacker Max Irving. Two more Bruins, freshman attacker Nicolas Saveljic and redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Alex Wolf garnered honorable mention All-MPSF plaudits.
BRUINS IN MPSF RANKINGS
Five Bruins currently rank in the top 21 in the MPSF in scoring with freshman Nicolas Saveljic leading the way in 4th (42 goals, 1.91 gpg). Senior Max Irving is 8th with 37 goals (1.61 gpg) while senior Alex Roelse is 13th with 31 goals (1.35 gpg). Senior Matt Farmer is 18th with 27 goals (1.17 gpg). Freshman Chasen Travisano is 21st with 26 goals (1.13 gpg). Redshirt Sophomore Alex Wolf is third in goals against average (6.98) and fifth in saves per game (10.71).
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 225-37 (.859) and an MPSF mark of 51-12 (.810). His teams earned perfect APR (Academic Progress Rate) scores of 1,000 in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 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.
RECORD VS. NCAA SEMIFINAL TEAMS
UCLA is 8-2 this year against the 2017 NCAA Tournament field and has a winning record over each of the other three semifinal teams, including a 2-1 record against USC and California, and 2-0 against fifth-ranked Pacific (6-2 vs. NCAA semifinalists).
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