Sunday, September 3
San Diego, CA
4:00 PM
UCLA
29
vs
3
Concordia University Irvine
Eli Liechty paced six different Bruins with hat tricks with four goals in the win over the Golden Eagles.
Photo by: Don Liebig/ASUCLA
No. 3 UCLA Blitzes Concordia University Irvine, 29-3
September 03, 2023 | Men's Water Polo
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SAN DIEGO --ย Third-ranked UCLA (4-0) completed its perfect weekend late Sunday afternoon by blitzing Concordia University Irvine (0-4), 29-3. The 29 goals were the most the Bruins have scored since UCLA opened the 2005 season (also on Sept. 3) with a 30-2 win over Chaminade at the BYU-Hawaii Tournament, UCLA improved to 4-0ย all-time against the Golden Eagles.For the third-straight game, 12 different Bruins scored in the contest, including six players with hat tricks, paced by four goals from redshirt sophomore Eli Liechty. Freshmenย Marcellย Szécsi and Ben Liechty, sophomore Noah Rowe, and redshirt sophomores Trey Doten and Grant Loth all scored hat tricks in the win. Redshirt freshman Ben Larsen, redshirt sophomore Mark Laurlund, redshirt senior Jack Larsen, and senior Hayden Nightingale each scored twice to give the Bruins 10 players with multiple goals.
Senior Garret Griggsย got the start in the cage and played the first half, tallying two saves and two steals while surrendering one goal. Graduate Chase Honaker came on in the second half and tallied six stops while allowing two power play goals.ย
The Bruins were met with very little resistance, scoring the first 10 goals of the game, which included four power plays goals and five counter attack strikes. CUI scored from the front court at the buzzer to end the scoring in the first period, trailing 10-1. Eli Liechty had a hat trick in the period.
The Bruins won the second period, 6-0, to lead 16-1 atย the break. After recording 11 steals in the first period, the Bruins tallied four more in the second and pitched a shutout. Szécsi scored twice from two meters in the second quarter.
UCLA dominated the third period, 7-1, to build a commanding 23-2 lead heading in the final quarter. The Bruins scored the first five goals of the third to build a 21-1 lead. The first two goals were provided byย freshman Ben Liechty (power play and counter) to finish the period as the Bruins' leading scorer in the third.
The Bruins won the fourth period, 6-1, to provide the 29-3 final. Rowe was the Bruins' leading scorer in the final stanza, scoring the Bruins' first goal of the quarter with a power play strike (6:57) and the last goal of the game on a penalty shot (0:57).
UP NEXT: UCLA will open up the home portion of its season and the conference slate as well when it hosts No. 4 Stanford on Saturday, Sept. 9 at 1:00 p.m.ย PT at Dirks Pool at Spieker Aquatics Center.
No. 3 UCLA vs. Concordia University Irvine (Triton Invitational - Game 4)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| CUI | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| No. 3 UCLA | 10 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 29 |
6x5 -ย UCLA - 7/7 - CUI - 2/6
Penalties -ย UCLA - 1/1 - CUI - 0/0
CUI Goals:ย Harry Benthamย 1, Relja Mitic 1, Jace Petersonย 1
CUI Saves:ย UCSD did not track goalie stats
UCLA Goals:ย Eli Liechty 4, Marcellย Szécsi 3, Noah Rowe 3, Ben Liechty 3, Grant Loth 3, Trey Doten 3, Ben Larsen 2, Mark Laurlund 2, Jack Larsen 2, Hayden Nightingale 2, Gray Carson 1, Makoto Kenney 1
UCLA Saves:ย Garret Griggs 2, Chase Honaker 6
Players Mentioned
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