No. 3 UCLA Thrashes the Titans, 18-6

Saturday, September 2

San Diego, CA

3:45 PM

UCLA

Cal State Fullerton

UCLA Athletics - Fall 2023 UCLA Men's Water Polo Media Day portrait and team photos. UCLA, Los Angeles, CA.
August 22nd, 2023
Copyright Don Liebig/ASUCLA
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A total of 12 different Bruins scored in the game, paced by three goals from freshman Ben Liechty.

Photo by: Don Liebig/ASUCLA

No. 3 UCLA Thrashes the Titans, 18-6

September 02, 2023 | Men's Water Polo

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SAN DIEGO -- Third-ranked UCLA (2-0) maintained its dominance over the Big West Conference with an 18-6 thrashing of the Cal State Fullerton Titans (0-2) late Saturday afternoon in the Triton Invitational at Triton Pool. With the win, UCLA improved to 15-0 all-time against Cal State Fullerton. It was the first meeting between the two teams since 1984 as the Titans dropped the program in 1985 and are in their first season back since.

A total of 12 different Bruins scored in the game, paced by three goals from freshman Ben Liechty. Redshirt senior Jack Larsen, redshirt sophomore Eli Liechty, and freshmen Marcell Szécsi and Wade Sherlock each scored twice against the Titans.

Senior Garret Griggs got the start in the cage and played the first 13 minutes, tallying five saves while giving up two goals. Graduate student Chase Honaker came on in relief with three minutes left in the second quarter and tallied four saves while surrendering four goals.

UCLA scored the first two goals of the game, and then Cal State Fullerton answered back with two goals to tie it up. But UCLA scored the next seven goals to take command of the game. The Bruins led 7-2 at the end of the first period. Seven different Bruins scored a goal in the opening stanza with freshman Wade Sherlock scoring his first collegiate goal (7:36), followed by another power play goal from redshirt sophomore Grant Loth (6:48). After the Titans tied it up, Jack Larsen scored (3:44) on a counter, redshirt sophomore Mark Laurlund scored the first goal of his collegiate career from the front court (2:33), Szécsi scored from the front court (1:52), senior Hayden Nightingale scored from the front court (1:15), and Ben Liechty scored at the buzzer on a 7-on-6 play.

The Bruins won the second quarter, 2-1, to take a 9-3 lead into the break. Ben Liechty added his second on a power play (6:36) as did Sherlock (5:25). The Titans scored from distance (1:53) to end the scoring in the second period, snapping the Bruins' seven straight goals in the process.

UCLA won the third period, 5-1, to build a 14-4 lead heading in the final quarter. Redshirt senior GIorgio Alessandria scored a power play goal (6:19) and Eli Liechty scored his first from two meters (4:26) to push the lead to 11-4. Szécsi scored his second of the game from two meters (3:39) and Ben Liechty completed his hat trick with a strike from the front court (2:08) to push the lead to 13-4. Jack Larsen capped the five-goal scoring run (0:04) to end the scoring in the third with the Bruins leading by 10 (14-4) heading into the fourth.

The Bruins doubled up the Titans in the fourth quarter, 4-2, to provide the 18-6 final. UCLA extended the scoring run to seven again as sophomore Gray Carson (7:38) scored from two meters and redshirt freshman Ben Larsen scored on a counter (5:06) to put the Bruins up 16-4. After Fullerton tacked on two more scores, the Bruins did the same. Sophomore Noah Rowe scored from the front court (2:12) to make it 17-6. Eli Liechty scored from two meters (1:38) to end the scoring.

UP NEXT: The Bruins will face No. 10 UC Irvine on Sunday, Sept. 3, at 9:15 a.m. PT at Triton Pool.

No. 3 UCLA vs. Cal State Fullerton (Triton Invitational - Game 2)

SCOREBOARD	1	2	3	4	FINAL
CS Fullerton	2	1	1	2	6
No. 3 UCLA	7	2	5	4	18

6x5 - UCLA - 5/8 - CSF - 4/8
Penalties - UCLA - 0/2 - CSF - 0/0

CSF Goals: Zack Ewing 3, Bende Aubeli 2, Bradley Pearce 1
CSF Saves: UCSD did not track goalie stats

UCLA Goals: Ben Liechty 3, Eli Liechty 2, Marcell Szécsi 2, Jack Larsen 2, Wade Sherlock 2, Ben Larsen 1, Mark Laurlund 1, Gray Carson 1, Noah Rowe 1, Hayden Nightingale 1, Grant Loth 1, Giorgio Alessandria 1
UCLA Saves: Garret Griggs 5, Chase Honaker 4