UCLA
8-0
UC San Diego
5-5
No. 1 UCLA Seeks to Defend MPSF Invitational Crown
September 21, 2024 | Men's Water Polo
BERKELEY, Calif. -- Top-ranked UCLA (9-0) extended its consecutive regular season victories to 34 games on Saturday with a pair of wins over ranked teams at the 2024 Overnght/MPSF Invitational. The Bruins opened the morning with a 13-7 win over No. 15 UC San Diego (5-5) at Legends Aquatic Center and then posted its largest margin of victory over No. 6 California since 2015 (13-8 at SoCal Invitational at Pepperdine on Oct. 11) with a 12-7 win in the semifinals at Spieker Aquatics Complex. UCLA improved to 63-1 all-time against the Tritons, including 2-0 this season, and to 94-77-1 with their second straight win in games at California.
In the morning contest, a total of eight Bruins scored in the game, paced by hat tricks from redshirt junior Chase Dodd and freshman Ryder Dodd. Graduate student Aaron Voggenthaler was the third Bruin to score multiple goals with two against UCSD.
Graduate student Garret Griggs got the start in the cage and played the first half, holding UCSD to three goals while recording one save and two steals. Redshirt freshman Nate Tauscher came on in relief in the second half and surrendered four scores and made seven saves and one steal.
The Bruins led 3-2 at the end of the first period and exploded for a 5-1 quarter in the second to build an 8-3 lead by halftime. Another impressive quarter followed for UCLA in third, winning 4-1, to take a 12-4 lead into the final period. The Tritons won the fourth period, 3-1, to provide the 13-7 final.
No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 15 UC San Diego (2024 Overnght/MPSF Invitational - Pool Play - Berkeley, Calif. - Game 8)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 15 UCSD | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| No. 1 UCLA | 3 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 13 |
6x5 - UCLA - 7/12 - UCSD - 3/10
Penalties - UCLA - 2/3 - UCSD - 0/2
UCSD Goals: Mason Presley 1, Finn Bugelli 1, Bennett Axline 1, Luca Rago 1, Matthew Wastila 1, Trevor Moore 1, Collin Tournat 1
UCSD Saves: California didn't provide stats
UCLA Goals: Ryder Dodd 3, Aaron Voggenthaler 2, Chase Dodd 2, Eli Liechty 1, Marcell Szécsi 1, Gray Carson 1, Bode Brinkema 1, Ben Liechty 1, Nico Tierney 1
UCLA Saves: Nate Tauscher 7, Garret Griggs 1
In the afternoon game, a total of nine Bruins scored in the game, paced by two scores each from sophomore Ben Liechty and freshmen Ryder Dodd and Peter Castillo. Liechty would add two assists to be the leading scorer in the game with four points. The game marked the ninth-consecutive game that Ryder Dodd has scored multiple goals.
Graduate student Garret Griggs got the start in the cage and went the distance, recording 10 saves for the third time this season and added two steals while limiting the three-time defending NCAA Champions to just seven goals.
The Bruins led 3-1 at the end of the first period and then dominated the second period for a 5-3 quarter to double up the Golden Bears by a score of 8-4 at the break. Both teams fought for a 2-2 draw in the third period and UCLA would take a 10-6 lead into the final period. The Bruins won the fourth period, 2-1, to provide the 12-7 final.
UP NEXT: The Bruins will face the winner of No. 2 Stanford/No. 3 USC in the championship game tomorrow (Sunday, Sept. 22) at 2:30 p.m. PT.
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 1 UCLA | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 12 |
| No. 6 California | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
6x5 - UCLA - 2/6 - CAL - 2/7
Penalties - UCLA - 0/0 - CAL - 1/1
UCLA Goals: Ben Liechty 2, Peter Castillo 2, Ryder Dodd 2, Frederico Jucá Carsalade 1, Marcell Szécsi 1, Ben Larsen 1, Aaron Voggenthaler 1, Gray Carson 1, Nico Tierney 1
UCLA Saves: Garret Griggs 10
CAL Goals: George Avakian 2, Max Casabella 2, William Kelly 1, Nik Mirkovic 1, Maddox Arlett 1
CAL Saves: Riley Clansen 14
Team Stats
Aaron Voggenthaler
7:14
Bennett Axline
4:48
Mason Presley
4:07
Nico Tierney
2:26
Ryder Dodd
0:09
Gray Carson
6:26
Chase Dodd
5:27
Collin Tournat
3:26
Ryder Dodd
2:37
Marcell Szécsi
2:01
Ryder Dodd
1:04
Chase Dodd
6:28
Aaron Voggenthaler
5:47
Bode Brinkema
2:26
Finn Bugelli
1:59
Eli Liechty
1:34
Luca Rago
6:33
Ben Liechty
5:02
Matthew Wastila
1:42
Trevor Moore
0:03
