UCLA
10-0
Pepperdine
5-3
Bruins Ride Offensive Tide, Sink Waves 19-8
September 13, 2025 | Men's Water Polo
LOS ANGELES --ย No. 1 UCLA (10-0) continued its dominance this season with a 19-8 win over No. 12 Pepperdine on Saturday afternoon at Dirks Pool at Spieker Aquatics Center. The Bruins improved to 88-31-1 all-time against the Pepperdine Waves.
UCLA had 11 different players score, increasing that total to nine-of-10 games this season with double digit scorers (13 vs. Navy, 10 vs. UC Davis, 11 at UC San Diego, 10 vs. California Baptist University, 11 vs. George Washington, 10 vs. Fordham, 15 vs. Bucknell, 11 vs. Harvard, and 11 vs. Pepperdine).
In the win over Pepperdine (5-3), sophomore Ryder Dodd paced the Bruins' offense with seven total points (four goals and three assists). Junior Ben Liechty scored a career-high four goals and junior Wade Sherlock also scored four total points (all assists). Sophomore Bode Brinkema also scored four total points (one goal, three assists) for the Bruins. Redshirt freshman Harry Tucker scored the first collegiate goal of his career in the fourth period against the Waves.
Redshirt sophomore Nate Tauscher got the starting nod and played the majority of the game (29:32), registering eight saves and twoย stealsย while allowing six goals. Redshirt freshman Joey Kent came on in relief and played the final 2:28, giving up two scores.
The Bruins, who have only trailed for 1:59 of 320 minutes this season,ย scored the first four goals of the game and never trailed, winning the first quarter, 5-1. The two teams battled to a 4-4 draw with UCLA leading 9-5 at halftime. The Bruins won the third period, 3-1, to double-up the Waves, 12-6, heading into the final stanza. UCLA won the fourth period, 7-2, to provide the 19-8 final.
Up Next: The Bruins co-host the MPSF Invitational with USC next weekend (Sept. 19-21). The Bruins will host all of its 16 games (four on Friday, eight on Saturday, and four on Sunday)ย at Dirks Pool at Spieker Aquatics Center. The seeds and bracket will be announced on Monday, Sept. 15.
No. 12 Pepperdine at No. 1 UCLA (Dirks Pool at Spiekerย Aquatics Centerย - Game 10)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 12 Pepperdine | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
| No. 1 UCLA | 5 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 19 |
6x5 -ย UCLA - 3/11 - PEP - 3/7
Penalties -ย UCLA - 4/4 - PEP - 1/1
PEP Goals:ย Dane Howell 2, Cade Anderton 2, Jon Carcarey 1, Marty Walsh 1, Adam Blum 1, Alex Piccinย 1
PEP Saves:ย Max Smirnov 5
UCLA Goals:ย Ryder Dodd 4, Ben Liechty 4, Frederico Jucá Carsalade 2, Chase Dodd 2, Eli Liechty 1, Marcell Szécsi 1, Ben Larsen 1,ย Peter Castillo 1,ย Bode Brinkema 1, Harry Tucker 1, Vinnie Merk 1
UCLA Saves:ย Nate Tauscher 8
ย
Team Stats
Ben Larsen
07:25
Eli Liechty
06:48
Ryder Dodd
04:32
Frederico Juca Carsalade
03:35
Cade Anderton
02:22
Ryder Dodd
00:20
Matty Walsh
05:41
Marcell Szecsi
05:19
Chase Dodd
04:26
Frederico Juca Carsalade
02:35
Dane Howell
02:09
Adam Blum
01:20
Cade Anderton
00:04
Ben Liechty
00:01
Peter Castillo
06:23
Dane Howell
05:05
Ben Liechty
03:56
Chase Dodd
02:46
Ryder Dodd
06:56
Ryder Dodd
06:17
Ben Liechty
03:47
Bode Brinkema
02:28
Harry Tucker
01:20
Alex Piccin
00:55
Vinny Merk
00:45
Jon Carcarey
00:19
Ben Liechty
