Saturday, November 10
Los Angeles, CA
3:00 PM
UCLA
11
at
12
USC
Sophomore Nicolas Saveljic led the Bruins with a game-high-tying and career-high-tying four goals against USC.
Photo by: Minette Rubin
No. 2 UCLA Rallies, Falls at No. 1 USC, 12-11
November 10, 2018 | Men's Water Polo
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The Bruins were led byย sophomore Nicolas Saveljicย who scored a game-high-tying and career-high-tying four goals against USC. Redshirtย junior Alex Wolf started in the cage and went the distance, recording 13 saves while allowing 11 goals.
USC got on the board first with a counter attack score by Sawyer Rhodes (4:57). Marin Dasic made it 2-0 with a goal from the front court for USC (3:38). Senior Austin Roneย got the Bruins on the board with a power play goal (3:01) to cut the deficit to 2-1. But Rhodes answered with a score from the front court (1:54) to push the lead to 3-1. Freshman Jake Cavano scored for the 14th-straight game (his 14th played this season) to cut the lead to 3-2 at the 1:34 mark. Zach D'Saย scored from the front court for USC (1:16) to push the lead to 4-2. But sophomore Nicolas Saveljicย ended the scoring in the period with a power play goal (0:34) to make it 4-3 USC.
Roneย opened the scoring in the second period with a goal that was deflected in the field (7:09). Then Mason Farley scored back-to-back goals for USC (6:22 and 5:42) to push the lead to 6-4. Cavanoย answered with his second of the game from the front court (5:08) to trim the lead to 6-5. Hannes Daube then scored his first of the game on a power play for the Trojans (2:31) to extend the lead to 7-5. Sam Slobodienย then stretched the lead to 8-5 with a rebound score on a power play (1:12). Cavanoย completed his hat trick with a power play goal on a 6-on-4 to end the scoring (0:38) in the second period with the Bruins trailing 8-6.
A low-scoring third period followed with USC taking a 9-6 lead at the 2:30 mark when D'Sa scored from the front court. D'Saย completed his hat trick to end the scoring in the third (1:37) giving USC a 10-6 lead heading into the fourth.
Saveljicย opened the scoring in the fourth with a strike after an ordinary foul (7:28) to cut the lead to 10-7. But Slobodienย added his second of the game on a back-hander at set (7:02) to push the lead to 11-7. Saveljicย then completed his hat trick on a perfect lob shot (6:23) to make it 11-8. Freshman Ashworth Molthenย scored his first of the game (5:48) to cut it to 11-9. Molthenย then made it three scores in a row for the Bruins with a strike near post from the front court (3:08) to cut the lead to 11-10. Saveljicย scored his fourth of the game and the Bruins' fourth consecutive goal to tie it at 11-11 on another beautiful lob shot (2:24). The Trojans got the game-winning goal on a counter that led to a power play (0:19) by Dasic. Sophomore Chasen Travisano'sย last shot hit the crossbar and time expired to give USC the victory, 12-11.
The Bruins return to action on Friday, Nov. 16 when they take on either Austin College or Penn State Behrendย in the first round of the MPSFย Championship at USC'sย Uytengsuย Aquatics Center at 3:00 p.m. PT. The Bruins are the fourth seed and will face No. 1 Stanford on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 11:00 a.m. PT in the first semifinal if they win their game on Friday.
No. 2ย UCLA at No. 1 USCย (MPSFย Regular Season Finale)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 2 UCLA | 3 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 11 |
| No.ย 1 USC | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 12 |
6x5 -ย UCLA - 2/9 - USC - 3/6
Penalties -ย UCLA - 0/0 - USC - 0/0
UCLA Goals:ย Nicolas Saveljic 4, Jake Cavano 3, Austin Roneย 2, Ashworth Molthenย 2
UCLA Saves:ย Alex Wolf 13
USC Goals:ย Sam Slobodien 4, Zach D'Sa 3, Marin Dasic 3,ย Hannesย Daube 1, Sawyer Rhodes 1
USC Saves:ย Nic Porter 9
Players Mentioned
ATK/UTL
/ Men's Water Polo
ATK
/ Men's Water Polo
ATK
/ Men's Water Polo
ATK
/ Men's Water Polo
ATK
/ Men's Water Polo
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