Saturday, November 18
Berkeley, CA
1:00 PM
UCLA
24-1
9
vs
13
USC
14-6
1
2
3
4
OT
OT
F
USC (M)
3
5
3
2
0
0
13
UCLA (M)
2
2
2
3
0
0
9
Redshirt freshman Frederico Jucá Carsalade scored a career-high four goals against the Trojans today.
Photo by: Marie Goldfarb
No. 1 UCLA Drops First Game of the Year
November 18, 2023 | Men's Water Polo
BERKELEY, Calif. -- No. 1 UCLA (24-1) got off to a slow start and never recovered, dropping its first game of the year to No. 3 USC (14-6), 13-9, in the MPSF Semifinal on Saturday afternoon at California's Spieker Aquatics Complex. UCLA fell to 97-91-1 all-time in the series history.
The Bruins had just four players score in the contest, led by a career-high effort of four goals from redshirt freshman Frederico Jucá Carsalade. Senior Rafael Real Vergara also had a hat trick. But the Bruins' offense failed to reach double digits for the first time this season.
Senior Garret Griggs got the start in the cage and went the distance, tallying 13 saves and one steal while surrendering 13 goals.
USC jumped out to a 2-0 lead and won the first period, 3-2. Redshirt sophomore Eli Liechty (3:56) got the Bruins on the board off a feed from freshman Wade Sherlock. After USC went up 3-1, redshirt sophomore Grant Loth drew a penalty that Jucá Carsalade converted for his first score (1:18) to end the scoring in the first period.
The Trojans won the second quarter, 5-2, to take a 8-4 lead into the break. USC scored the first two goals of the second period to take a 5-2 lead. Jucá Carsalade (3:56) scored his second on a power play off a pass from senior Jack Larsen to make it 5-3. USC then reeled off three straight goals to build an 8-3 lead. Real Vergara scored his first (0:09) on a power play to end the scoring in the second quarter.
The Trojans won the third quarter, 3-2, to extend the lead to 11-6 heading into the final stanza. After the Trojans opened the second half with a power play goal, Real Vergara scored his second of the game on a power play (4:55) off a feed from Jack Larsen to trim the deficit to 9-5. The two teams traded goals for the rest of the third with Jucá Carsalade completing his hat trick (1:03) on a power play to make it 10-6. But the Trojans added a power play goal (0:36) to end the scoring in the third period.
UCLA managed to win the fourth period, 3-2, to provide the 13-9 final. After a goal by the Trojans made it 12-6, Real Vergara completed his hat trick (1:43) and senior Giorgio Alessandria found the back of the net (1:06) to make it 12-8. USC would score a 13th goal on an empty net (0:40), and the Bruins got a fourth goal from Jucá Carsalade (0:26) to end the scoring in the game.
UP NEXT: The Bruins will face No. 4 Stanford in the MPSF Championship third-place game at 11:15 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 19 at California's Spieker Aquatics Complex.
No. 3 USC vs. No. 1 UCLA (MPSF Championship - Semifinals - Game 25)
6x5 - UCLA - 4/9 - USC - 4/6
Penalties - UCLA - 1/1 - USC - 0/0
USC Goals: Luka Brnetic 3, Max Miller 2, Massimo Di Martire 1, Carson Kranz 1, Jake Carter 1, Tom McGuire 1, Joshua Waldoch 1, Tony Nardelli 1, Zach Bettino 1, Andrej Grgurevic 1
USC Saves: Bernardo Herzer 7
UCLA Goals: Frederico Jucá Carsalade 4, Rafael Real Vergara 3, Eli Liechty 1, Giorgio Alessandria 1
UCLA Saves: Garret Griggs 13
The Bruins had just four players score in the contest, led by a career-high effort of four goals from redshirt freshman Frederico Jucá Carsalade. Senior Rafael Real Vergara also had a hat trick. But the Bruins' offense failed to reach double digits for the first time this season.
Senior Garret Griggs got the start in the cage and went the distance, tallying 13 saves and one steal while surrendering 13 goals.
USC jumped out to a 2-0 lead and won the first period, 3-2. Redshirt sophomore Eli Liechty (3:56) got the Bruins on the board off a feed from freshman Wade Sherlock. After USC went up 3-1, redshirt sophomore Grant Loth drew a penalty that Jucá Carsalade converted for his first score (1:18) to end the scoring in the first period.
The Trojans won the second quarter, 5-2, to take a 8-4 lead into the break. USC scored the first two goals of the second period to take a 5-2 lead. Jucá Carsalade (3:56) scored his second on a power play off a pass from senior Jack Larsen to make it 5-3. USC then reeled off three straight goals to build an 8-3 lead. Real Vergara scored his first (0:09) on a power play to end the scoring in the second quarter.
The Trojans won the third quarter, 3-2, to extend the lead to 11-6 heading into the final stanza. After the Trojans opened the second half with a power play goal, Real Vergara scored his second of the game on a power play (4:55) off a feed from Jack Larsen to trim the deficit to 9-5. The two teams traded goals for the rest of the third with Jucá Carsalade completing his hat trick (1:03) on a power play to make it 10-6. But the Trojans added a power play goal (0:36) to end the scoring in the third period.
UCLA managed to win the fourth period, 3-2, to provide the 13-9 final. After a goal by the Trojans made it 12-6, Real Vergara completed his hat trick (1:43) and senior Giorgio Alessandria found the back of the net (1:06) to make it 12-8. USC would score a 13th goal on an empty net (0:40), and the Bruins got a fourth goal from Jucá Carsalade (0:26) to end the scoring in the game.
UP NEXT: The Bruins will face No. 4 Stanford in the MPSF Championship third-place game at 11:15 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 19 at California's Spieker Aquatics Complex.
No. 3 USC vs. No. 1 UCLA (MPSF Championship - Semifinals - Game 25)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 3 USC | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 13 |
| No. 1 UCLA | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 9 |
Penalties - UCLA - 1/1 - USC - 0/0
USC Goals: Luka Brnetic 3, Max Miller 2, Massimo Di Martire 1, Carson Kranz 1, Jake Carter 1, Tom McGuire 1, Joshua Waldoch 1, Tony Nardelli 1, Zach Bettino 1, Andrej Grgurevic 1
USC Saves: Bernardo Herzer 7
UCLA Goals: Frederico Jucá Carsalade 4, Rafael Real Vergara 3, Eli Liechty 1, Giorgio Alessandria 1
UCLA Saves: Garret Griggs 13
Team Stats
USC
UCL
Shots
35
27
Goals
13
9
Assists
8
7
Points
21
16
Exclusions
9
6
Steals
11
5
Sprints
3
1
1
Luka Brnetic
07:37
Luka Brnetic
05:59
Eli Liechty
03:56
Jake Carter
03:32
Frederico Jucá Carsalade
01:18
2
Max Miller
07:03
Tony Nardelli
05:27
Frederico Jucá Carsalade
03:56
Carson Kranz
03:32
Massimo Di Martire
02:38
Joshua Waldoch
01:46
Rafael Real Vergara
00:09
3
Andrej Grgurevic
07:30
Rafael Real Vergara
04:55
Max Miller
02:29
Frederico Jucá Carsalade
01:03
Zach Bettino
00:36
4
Luka Brnetic
01:58
Rafael Real Vergara
01:43
Giorgio Alessandria
01:06
Tom Mcguire
00:40
Frederico Jucá Carsalade
00:26
Game Leaders
Shots
8
Goals
3
Assists
1
Points
4
Shots
7
Goals
4
Assists
1
Points
5
Shots
2
Goals
1
Assists
0
Points
1
Shots
2
Goals
0
Assists
1
Points
1
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Water Polo
GK
/ Men's Water PoloATK
/ Men's Water Polo
ATK
/ Men's Water Polo
CTR
/ Men's Water Polo
CTR
/ Men's Water PoloATK
/ Men's Water Polo
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