UCLA
14-1
California
8-6
No. 1 UCLA Takes Down No. 6 California, 14-9
October 06, 2024 | Men's Water Polo
LOS ANGELES -- Top-ranked UCLA (14-1, 1-1 MPSF West) got back on track with a 14-9 win on Sunday afternoon over three-time defending NCAA Champions and sixth-ranked California (8-6, 0-2 MPSF West) at Dirks Pool at Spieker Aquatics Center. The Bruins improved to 94-77 in the series history against the Golden Bears.
A total of seven Bruins scored in the game, paced by a season-high seven goals from freshman Ryder Dodd. At the beginning of the fourth quarter when Dodd scored his seventh goal at the 7:23 mark, he single-handedly scored as many goals as the entire California team to give the Bruins a 14-7 lead.
Super senior Garret Griggs got the start in the cage and played all but the final 2:32 of the game, tallying nine saves while giving up eight goals. Redshirt freshman Nate Tauscher came on in relief and had one stop while allowing one score.
The Bruins got on the board first when Dodd converted a penalty shot that he drew at the 5:02 mark of the opening quarter. The Bruins would go on to lead 3-2 at the end of the first period. UCLA won the second period, 5-3, to build an 8-5 lead at halftime.
UCLA won the third quarter, 5-2, to take a 13-7 lead into the final stanza. The Golden Bears were hanging around, trailing 9-7 with 6:25 to go in the third. But the Bruins reeled off the last four goals of the period, culminating with a second goal from junior Gray Carson (0:04) on a counter to end the scoring in the period.
In the fourth, Frederico Jucá Carsalade dished out his fifth assist of the game, this one to Dodd (his seventh goal), to make it five unanswered goals for UCLA as the Bruins doubled up the Golden Bears, 14-7. Cal netted two scores down the stretch to provide the 14-9 final.
Up Next: The Bruins hit the road to face No. 4 Pepperdine on Saturday, Oct. 12, at 12:00 p.m. PT before returning home to host No. 9 Princeton (1:00 p.m. PT) and Westcliff (3:00 p.m. PT) on Sunday, Oct. 13 at Dirks Pool at Spieker Aquatics Center. Admission is free.
No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 6 California (MPSF Contest - Game 15)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 6 California | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 9 |
| No. 1 UCLA | 3 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 14 |
6x5 - UCLA - 4/9 - CAL - 3/8
Penalties - UCLA - 1/1 - CAL - 2/3
CAL Goals: Alex Oprea 2, Max Casabella 2, George Avakian 1, Patrik Kolak 1, Nik Mirkovic 1, Brennan Fuchslin 1, Bende Pardi 1
CAL Saves: Riley Clansen 9
UCLA Goals: Ryder Dodd 7, Gray Carson 2, Frederico Jucá Carsalade 1, Eli Liechty 1, Marcell Szécsi 1, Jack Larsen 1, Makoto Kenney 1
UCLA Saves: Garret Griggs 9, Nate Tauscher 1
Team Stats
Ryder Dodd
05:02
Alex Oprea
04:25
Frederico Jucá Carsalade
04:07
Bende Pardi
02:07
Eli Liechty
01:42
Ryder Dodd
07:43
Marcell Szécsi
06:53
Max Casabella
06:14
Gray Carson
05:49
Jack Larsen
03:27
Max Casabella
02:19
Ryder Dodd
00:58
Brennan Fuchslin
00:36
Nik Mirkovic
07:40
Ryder Dodd
06:28
George Avakian
06:25
Ryder Dodd
05:20
Makoto Kenney
02:14
Ryder Dodd
01:28
Gray Carson
00:04
Ryder Dodd
07:23
Alex Oprea
05:08
Patrik Kolak
01:12
