Sunday, February 21
Stanford, CA
3:30 PM

UCLA

6-5, 5-5MPSF

4
vs
9

USC

4-7, 3-7MPSF

1
2
3
4
F
UCLA
2
0
2
0
4
Southern California
0
2
3
4
9
Mo Kenney
Freshman Mo Kenney scored a hat trick against the Trojans.
Photo by: Don Liebig/ASUCLA

No. 2 UCLA Falls to No. 4 USC to End Regular Season

February 21, 2021 | Men's Water Polo


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STANFORD, Calif. --ย No. 2 UCLA (6-5, 5-5 MPSF) couldn't get an offense going andย closed out the regular season with a 9-4 loss to No. 4 USCย (4-7, 3-7 MPSF) on Saturday afternoon at Avery Aquaticย Center. The short-handed Bruins, playing without four key players, will now wait for the seedings to be unveiled for the 2020-21 MPSF Championship, in which UCLA will be hosting on March 5-7.

Freshman Mo Kenney got the Bruins on the board first with a goal at even strength (1:17). Junior Jake Cavano set up freshman Ethan Shipman for his first collegiate goal (0:23) to end the scoring in the first period with the Bruins leading 2-0.

Jake Ehrhardtย scored first for USC to open the scoring in the second period (2:35), trimming the Bruins' lead to 2-1. Tony Nardelli then tied it at 2-2 with a goal for the Trojans (0:21) to end the scoring in the second quarter.

Nardelli gave USC its first lead of the game with a power play goal (5:21) in the third quarter. Kenney then scored his second of the game from the front court (3:14) to tie it at 3-3 and put an end to the Trojans' scoring run. Kenney completed the hat trick by converting a penalty shot (1:20) to put the Bruins in front, 4-3. But Wyatt Barker scored (0:54) and then Chris Sturtevantย (0:09) to give USC a 5-4 lead heading into the fourth.

Barker opened the scoring in the fourth (6:31) to extend USC's lead to 6-4. He then pushed the lead to 7-4 with another score (4:00) at even strength after the Bruins failed to convert on a penalty shot. Barker then put the game out of reach with his fourth goal of the game with 2:32 remaining. Orestis Apergiย scored the final goal of the game (0:02) to provide the 9-4 final.

Sophomore Bernardo Maurizi led the way for UCLA's defensive effort, logging 12 saves on the game. Kenney finished with a hat trick to lead the Bruins' offense.

Nic Porter registered 10 saves for USC, which was led in scoring by Barker's four goals.

No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 4 USC (Avery Aquatic Center)
SCOREBOARD 1 2 3 4 FINAL
No. 4 USC 0 2 3 4 9
No. 2 UCLA 2 0 2 0 4

6x5 -ย UCLA - 0/13 - USC - 1/6
Penalties -ย UCLA - 1/2 - USC - 0/0

USCย Goals:ย Wyatt Barker 4, Tony Nardelliย 2, Jake Ehrhardtย 1, Chris Sturtevant 1, Orestis Apergi 1
USCย Saves:ย Nic Porter 10

UCLA Goals:ย Mo Kenneyย 3, Ethan Shipmanย 1
UCLAย Saves:ย Bernardo Mauriziย 12

Team Stats

UCLA
USC
Shots
24
31
Goals
4
9
Assists
1
4
Points
5
13
Exclusions
6
14
Steals
8
9
Sprints
2
2
1

Mo Kenney

1:17

Ethan Shipman

0:23

2

Jake Ehrhardt

2:35

Tony Nardelli

0:21

3

Tony Nardelli

5:21

Mo Kenney

3:14

Mo Kenney

1:20

Wyatt Barker

0:54

Chris Sturtevant

0:09

4

Wyatt Barker

6:31

Wyatt Barker

4:00

Wyatt Barker

2:32

Orestis Apergi

0:02

Game Leaders

Shots
8
Goals
3
Assists
0
Points
3
Shots
5
Goals
0
Assists
0
Points
0
Shots
3
Goals
1
Assists
0
Points
1
Shots
2
Goals
0
Assists
0
Points
0

Players Mentioned

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