Sunday, November 18
Los Angeles, CA
11:00 AM
UCLA
7
at
4
USC
Senior Austin Rone scored twice and had two steals and drew two exclusions against USC.
Photo by: Don Liebig, UCLA Photography
No. 4 UCLA Stymies No. 2 USC, 7-4
November 18, 2018 | Men's Water Polo
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The Bruins were led by senior Austin Roneย and sophomore Chasen Travisano, who each scored two goals. Redshirtย junior Alex Wolf started in the cage and went the distance, making 13 saves while holding USC to just four goals, its fewest of the year by five goals and the fewest since a 6-3 loss at California on Nov. 4, 2017. The four goals were also the fewest UCLA has held USC to since a 6-3 MPSFย semifinal win at USC on Nov. 21, 2015.
Jacob Mercep scored the first goal of the game for USC (2:15) with a score from the front court. That goal came after Wolf had made six saves, including two on Trojan power plays and one on a 1-on-0 counter after a long rebound from a Bruin shot that hit the post. That score would hold up till the end of the first period.
The Bruins came roaring out of the gate in the second period, putting five goals on the board. Travisano scored back-to-back goals (7:11 and 5:43) to take a 2-1 lead.ย Roneย gave the Bruins a 3-1 lead (5:08) with his first goal of the game on a nearside shot from the front court. Hannesย Daube cut the lead to 3-2 with a power play goal for the Trojans at the 3:49 mark of the second. Sophomore Nicolas Saveljic scored his first of the game on a perfect lob shot (1:41) to put the Bruins up 4-2. Sophomore Quinten Osborne then scored a powerful goal at set to end the scoring in the first half (0:48), giving UCLA a 5-2 lead at the break.
Daube opened the scoring in the third with a power play goal (5:58) to cut the lead to 5-3. Freshman Ashworth Molthenย scored his first of the game on a sidearm crosscage skipper that ended the scoring in the third (0:04), giving UCLA a 6-3 lead.
Zach D'Saย scored from the front court (3:07) to open the scoring in the fourth, cutting the lead to 6-4. But Roneย found the back of the net for his second goal of the game (2:24) to push the lead back to three goals at 7-4. That score would hold as the final as UCLA shut down the Trojans the rest of the way.
The waiting game now begins as UCLA and the rest of the water polo world awaits the at-large bid selections, determined tonight.
No. 4 UCLA at No. 2 USC (MPSFย Championship - Third-Place Game)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 4 UCLA | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| No.ย 2 USC | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
6x5 -ย UCLA - 0/4ย - USC - 2/9
Penalties -ย UCLA - 0/0 - USC - 0/0
UCLA Goals:ย Chasen Travisano 2, Austin Rone 2, Quinten Osborne 1, Ashworth Molthen 1, Nicolas Saveljicย 1
UCLA Saves:ย Alex Wolf 13
USC Goals:ย Hannesย Daube 2, Jacob Mercep 1, Zach D'Sa 1
USC Saves:ย Nic Porter 9
Players Mentioned
ATK
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