Sunday, September 17
Davis, CA
1:00 PM
UCLA
9-0
16
at
7
UC Davis
6-3
1
2
3
4
F
UCLA
5
3
3
5
16
UC Davis
2
1
2
2
7
Giorgio Alessandria recorded the first hat trick of his career today in the lopsided win at UC Davis.
Photo by: Ross Turteltaub
No. 2 UCLA Gets the Weekend Road Sweep
September 17, 2023 | Men's Water Polo
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DAVIS, Calif. -- No. 2 UCLA (9-0) picked up another impressive road win on Sunday afternoon, defeating No. 11 UC Davis (6-3), 16-7, at Schaal Aquatics Center. The Bruins improved to 20-0 all-time against the Aggies. The nine-goal margin of victory against UC Davis was the largest in the series since the undefeated 30-0 NCAA Championship squad in 2015 beat the Aggies 14-4 to open up its season.A total of nine different Bruins scored in the contest for the second straight game, including a total of three hat tricks by senior Rafael Real Vergara (four goals), senior Giorgio Alessandria, and freshman Marcell Szécsi. Real Vergara and senior Jack Larsen (one goal, three assists) tied for the team lead in scoring with four points apiece.
Senior Garret Griggs got the start in the cage and went the distance, tallying 10 saves to go with two steals and one assist while surrendering seven goals.
UCLA started strong, leading 5-2 at the end of the first period. Five different Bruins scored in the opening period with redshirt freshman Frederico Jucá Carsalade leading the way with two points (one goal, one assist) and also registering two steals. The Bruins scored the first three goals of the game to jump out to an early lead it would never relinquish.
Things slowed down in the second quarter, but the Bruins picked things up with two late goals to win the period 3-1, taking an 8-3 lead into the break. Freshman Wade Sherlock scored two points in the quarter with a strike from the front court and an assist on a power play. Szécsi and Real Vergara each scored their second goals of the game in the second period. The Bruins survived one UC Davis possession late in the period that lasted for over a minute as UCLA was called for back-to-back exclusions and then a penalty, that was subsequently missed.
UCLA won the third period, 3-2, to take an 11-5 lead into the final stanza. Real Vergara completed his fifth hat trick of the season in the third quarter (2:08). Alessandria notched his second goal of the game (3:44) on a power play that was set up by Jucá Carsalade.
The Bruins ended just like they started, winning the fourth period, 5-2, to provide the 16-7 final. Alessandria completed his hat trick on a power play (6:16) that was assisted by senior Makoto Kenney. Szécsi then completed his hat trick (3:46) off a feed from Larsen. Real Vergara netted his fourth of the game (2:41) after the Aggies' returned to full strength on a Bruin power play. The game ended with a penalty shot by UC Davis that was rejected by Griggs. The Bruins' defense was tough throughout, holding UC Davis to two or fewer goals in every quarter while also holding the Aggies to just 3-or-16 on power plays and 0-for-2 on penalty shots.
UP NEXT: The Bruins will co-host the Overnght MPSF Invitational with USC next weekend. UCLA will open up at home against Occidental on Friday, Sept. 22 at Noon. If the Bruins win that contest, they will spend the rest of the weekend at USC's Uytengsu Aquatics Center for the remainder of the tournament. The Invitational will conclude on Sunday, Sept. 24 with UCLA hosting the ninth-, 11th-, and 13th-place games while USC will be hosting the first-, third-, fifth-, and seventh-place games.
No. 2 UCLA at No. 11 UC Davis (Non-Conference - Game 9)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 2 UCLA | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 16 |
| No. 11 UC Davis | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
6x5 - UCLA - 5/10 - UCD - 3/16
Penalties - UCLA - 1/1 - UCD - 0/2
UCLA Goals: Rafael Real Vergara 4, Giorgio Alessandria 3, Marcell Szécsi 3, Frederico Jucá Carsalade 1, Gray Carson 1, Jack Larsen 1, Wade Sherlock 1, Ben Liechty 1, Mark Laurlund 1
UCLA Saves: Garret Griggs 10
UCD Goals: Holden Neach 1, Tyler Mrkaich 1, Will Nomura 1, Aaron Voggenthaler 1, Timothy Kerr 1, Andrew Hitchcock 1, Colin Nicholls 1
UCD Saves: Aaron Wilson 7
Team Stats
UCLA
UCD
Shots
31
28
Goals
16
7
Assists
12
6
Points
28
13
Exclusions
16
10
Steals
10
6
Sprints
2
2
1
Frederico Jucá Carsalade
7:40
Giorgio Alessandria
6:36
Marcell Szécsi
4:09
Holden Neach
3:08
Rafael Real Vergara
2:12
Tyler Mrkaich
1:39
Gray Carson
0:12
2
Will Nomura
7:13
Rafael Real Vergara
6:21
Wade Sherlock
2:13
Marcell Szécsi
0:30
3
Aaron Voggenthaler
7:20
Ben Liechty
4:49
Giorgio Alessandria
3:44
Timothy Kerr
3:25
Rafael Real Vergara
2:08
4
Andrew Hitchcock
6:41
Giorgio Alessandria
6:16
Jack Larsen
4:39
Marcell Szécsi
3:46
Colin Nicholls
3:17
Rafael Real Vergara
2:41
Mark Laurlund
0:20
Game Leaders
Shots
5
Goals
4
Assists
0
Points
4
Shots
5
Goals
1
Assists
1
Points
2
Shots
4
Goals
3
Assists
0
Points
3
Shots
4
Goals
1
Assists
2
Points
3
Players Mentioned
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