UCLA WATER POLO UCLA WATER POLO
LOS ANGELES -- No. 1 UCLA (23-2) fell to No. 3 USC (21-5) in the 2024 MPSF Men's Water Polo Championship, 15-13, on Sunday afternoon at Dirks Pool at Spieker Aquatics Center. It marked the third-straight MPSF Championship for the Trojans. The Bruins, who are 3-1 this season against the Trojans, fell to 100-92-1 all-time in the series history.
UCLA had a total of seven players score in the contest, paced by a season-high-tying three goals from sophomore Wade Sherlock. Sophomore Ben Liechty led all scorers with seven points (two goals and five assists) and freshman Ryder Dodd was second with six points (two goals, four assists). Redshirt sophomores Frederico Jucá Carsalade and Ben Larsen also contributed multiple goals, each scoring twice.
Graduate student Garret Griggs got the start in the cage and played the first half, tallying four saves while allowing nine goals. Redshirt freshman Nate Tauscher came on in relief and played the second half, registering five saves, two steals, and drawing one exclusion while surrendering the final six scores.
USC, which never trailed in the contest, won the first quarter, 5-4. The Trojans jumped out to a 3-1 lead at the 4:58 mark of the opening quarter, but the Bruins clawed back in it with Wade Sherlock and Ryder Dodd each scoring twice in the opening eight minutes.
The Trojans pulled away in the second with a 4-1 run to take a 9-5 lead into the break.
The Bruins won the third period, 4-3, to cut the deficit to 12-9 heading into the final stanza. UCLA also won the fourth quarter, 4-3, to provide the 15-13 final. The Bruins immediately went on a 2-0 run to open the fourth to cut it to 12-11, USC. Redshirt sophomore Ben Larsen scored a power play goal (7:03) and Ben Liechty followed with another, his second score of the game (6:13) to put the Bruins back in it. But USC answered with three consecutive goals over the next five minutes, keeping the Bruins off the scoreboard and stretching its lead to 15-11 with an empty-netter with 0:56 left. The Bruins scored two goals in the final minute to close the gap.
UP NEXT: The Bruins and the rest of the country now await tomorrow's NCAA Selection Show which will air on NCAA.com at 9:00 a.m. PT.
No. 3 USC at No. 1 UCLA (2024 MPSF Men's Water Polo Championship Tournament - Finals - Los Angeles, Calif. - Game 25)
LOS ANGELES -- No. 1 UCLA (23-2) fell to No. 3 USC (21-5) in the 2024 MPSF Men's Water Polo Championship, 15-13, on Sunday afternoon at Dirks Pool at Spieker Aquatics Center. It marked the third-straight MPSF Championship for the Trojans. The Bruins, who are 3-1 this season against the Trojans, fell to 100-92-1 all-time in the series history.
UCLA had a total of seven players score in the contest, paced by a season-high-tying three goals from sophomore Wade Sherlock. Sophomore Ben Liechty led all scorers with seven points (two goals and five assists) and freshman Ryder Dodd was second with six points (two goals, four assists). Redshirt sophomores Frederico Jucá Carsalade and Ben Larsen also contributed multiple goals, each scoring twice.
Graduate student Garret Griggs got the start in the cage and played the first half, tallying four saves while allowing nine goals. Redshirt freshman Nate Tauscher came on in relief and played the second half, registering five saves, two steals, and drawing one exclusion while surrendering the final six scores.
USC, which never trailed in the contest, won the first quarter, 5-4. The Trojans jumped out to a 3-1 lead at the 4:58 mark of the opening quarter, but the Bruins clawed back in it with Wade Sherlock and Ryder Dodd each scoring twice in the opening eight minutes.
The Trojans pulled away in the second with a 4-1 run to take a 9-5 lead into the break.
The Bruins won the third period, 4-3, to cut the deficit to 12-9 heading into the final stanza. UCLA also won the fourth quarter, 4-3, to provide the 15-13 final. The Bruins immediately went on a 2-0 run to open the fourth to cut it to 12-11, USC. Redshirt sophomore Ben Larsen scored a power play goal (7:03) and Ben Liechty followed with another, his second score of the game (6:13) to put the Bruins back in it. But USC answered with three consecutive goals over the next five minutes, keeping the Bruins off the scoreboard and stretching its lead to 15-11 with an empty-netter with 0:56 left. The Bruins scored two goals in the final minute to close the gap.
UP NEXT: The Bruins and the rest of the country now await tomorrow's NCAA Selection Show which will air on NCAA.com at 9:00 a.m. PT.
No. 3 USC at No. 1 UCLA (2024 MPSF Men's Water Polo Championship Tournament - Finals - Los Angeles, Calif. - Game 25)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 3 USC | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 15 |
| No. 1 UCLA | 4 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 13 |
6x5 - UCLA - 7/17 - USC - 4/7
Penalties - UCLA - 0/0 - USC - 0/0
USC Goals: Robert Lopez Duart 3, Max Miller 3, Stefan Brankovic 1, Jake Carter 1, Luka Brnetic 1, Carson Kranz 1, Tom McGuire 1, Jack Vort 1, Andrej Grgurevic 1, Jack Martin 1, Connor Cohen 1
USC Saves: Bernardo Herzer 9
UCLA Goals: Wade Sherlock 3, Frederico Jucá Carsalade 2, Ben Larsen 2, Ben Liechty 2, Ryder Dodd 2, Eli Liechty 1, Chase Dodd 1
UCLA Saves: Nate Tauscher 5, Garret Griggs 4