No. 2 UCLA Cruises Past La Salle, 20-2

Sunday, September 8

Annapolis, MD

10:00 AM

UCLA

La Salle

Sophomore Matthew Kacura scored a game- and career-high six goals in the win over La Salle.

Photo by: Minette Rubin

No. 2 UCLA Cruises Past La Salle, 20-2

September 08, 2019 | Men's Water Polo

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ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Behind a record-setting performance from freshman goalkeeper Bernardo Maurizi, No. 2 UCLA (4-0) crushed La Salle 20-2 in the Bruins' final game of the Navy Open on Sunday afternoon at Lejeune Hall. This was the first-ever meeting between UCLA and the Explorers as the La Salle program is in its fourth year of existence.

Maurizi set a UCLA freshman record with 19 saves playing the entire game in the cage for the Bruins. It marked the most saves since Garrett Danner recorded 21 in the 12-11 overtime win over California in the MPSF Championship game on Nov. 22, 2015. It was also the most saves in a game ending in regulation since Chay Lapin registered 21 in a 9-3 win at Long Beach State on Nov. 1, 2009. The Bruins were led in scoring by sophomore Matthew Kacura, who had a game- and career-high six goals. It tied the most goals by a Bruin since Max Irving scored the double hat trick in a 13-11 win at USC on Sept. 24, 2017, to lead the Bruins to the Mountain Pacific Invitational title. In just his second game of the season, junior Nicolas Saveljic had a hat trick in the first quarter.

The Bruins led 8-0 at the end of the first period, which included three goals each by Saveljic (7:30, 5:54, and 1:46) and Kacura (5:01, 3:34, and 1:00). UCLA also received a goal in the first period from freshman Jack White (6:19) and sophomore Jake Cavano (5:25).

Freshman Cameron Reagan opened the scoring in the second quarter with a goal from two meters (7:12) to put UCLA up 9-0. The Bruins built a 12-2 lead by halftime, getting scores from the front court by redshirt freshman Will Morgan (4:29) and freshman Max Berg (3:35). Kacura ended the scoring in the second period at two meters with his fourth of the game (2:47).

UCLA also dominated the third quarter, pitching a shutout while tacking on six more scores. After Kacura netted his fifth of the game on a front court strike (7:33), redshirt freshman Ryan Sawyer scored two straight from the front court (5:44, and 4:20) to put UCLA up 15-2. Sophomore Ashworth Molthen scored his first of the game on a power play (3:10) followed by a second goal from the front court by Cavano (2:14). Berg then scored his second of the game (1:13) on a penalty shot to end the scoring in the third with UCLA leading 18-2.

The Bruins won the fourth by a score of 2-0 to provide the 20-2 final. Sophomore Michael Graner scored from the front court (6:45) for his only goal of the game and Kacura tallied his sixth on a power play (0:15) to end the game.

UCLA returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 14 when they face San Jose State in their only countable game of the Stanford Invitational at 9:00 a.m. PT. The Bruins will then face three teams in exhibition play the rest of the weekend.

No. 2 UCLA vs. La Salle (Navy Open - Game 4)