UCLA
4-0
California Baptist University
3-2
No. 1 UCLA Hits Blackjack Twice on Friday
September 05, 2025 | Men's Water Polo
PRINCETON, N.J. -- No. 1 UCLA (5-0) posted two blowout wins on Friday at the Princeton Invitational, routing No. 14 California Baptist University, 21-5 in the morning, and then defeating No. 19 George Washington, 21-6, in the afternoon at DeNunzio Pool. The wins for the Bruins made it five victories in a row this season by double-digits. Additionally, the Bruins improved to 15-0 all-time against the Lancers and 4-0 against the Revolutionaries.
UCLA has now reached double-digit scorers in all five games this season, sporting 13 players against Navy, 10 vs. UC Davis, 11 at UC San Diego, 10 vs. CBU, and 11 vs. GW.
In the win over CBU (3-2), redshirt senior Chase Dodd, junior Ben Liechty, and sophomores Ryder Dodd and Bode Brinkema paced the Bruins' offense with three goals apiece. It marked the second hat trick of the year for all four players.
Redshirt sophomore Nate Tauscher got the starting nod and played the first half, registering three saves while allowing four goals. Redshirt freshman Nick Tovani played the second half in the cage, his first collegiate appearance for the Bruins, tallying three saves and allowing one goal, a 7-on-6 play by CBU at the buzzer. Ryder Dodd also picked up one save after UCLA failed on a 7-on-6 shot with time left, forcing him to become the goalkeeper of record.
The Bruins won the first quarter against CBU, 6-0, and won the second period, 6-4, to take a 12-4 lead into the break. The Bruins overpowered the Lancers in the third quarter, 6-0, to build an 18-4 lead heading into the fourth. UCLA won the final period, 3-1, to provide the 21-5 final.
In the game against the Revolutionaries (2-6), Ryder Dodd paced the Bruins' offense with six total points (four goals and two assists). His third hat trick of the year extended his scoring streak to 32 consecutive games with at least one goal (every game he has played in college). He has now scored multiple goals in all but one of those contests. Redshirt senior Eli Liechty registered his first hat trick of the year against GW and redshirt junior Vinnie Merk tied his career high with the second hat trick of his career.
Tauscher made his fifth-consecutive start on the year, registering 12 saves and one steal while giving up one goal in the first half. Tovani came on in relief and played the entire second half, racking up four saves while surrendering five scores.
UCLA, which has not trailed this season, scored the first 12 goals of the game, winning the first period, 6-0. The Bruins dominated the second quarter, 7-1, to build an 13-1 lead by halftime. UCLA won the third quarter, 4-3, to take a 17-4 lead into the final stanza. The Bruins won the fourth period, 4-2, to provide the 21-6 final.
Up Next: The Bruins complete the Princeton Invitational with No. 4 Fordham tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. PT, followed by an 11:00 a.m. PT showdown against (RV) Bucknell.
No. 14 California Baptist University vs. No. 1 UCLA (Princeton Invitational - DeNunzio Pool - Game 4)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 14 CBU | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| No. 1 UCLA | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 21 |
6x5 - UCLA - 7/11 - CBU - 3/9
Penalties - UCLA - 1/2 - CBU - 0/0
CBU Saves: stats not available at time of publication
UCLA Goals: Bode Brinkema 3, Ben Liechty 3, Chase Dodd 3, Ryder Dodd 3, Marcell Szécsi 2, Wade Sherlock 2, Peter Castillo 1, Noah Rowe 1, Jackson Harlan 1, Trey Doten 1, Vinnie Merk 1
UCLA Saves: Nate Tauscher 3, Nick Tovani 3, Ryder Dodd 1
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 19 GW | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| No. 1 UCLA | 6 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 21 |
6x5 - UCLA - 2/3 - GW - 0/7
Penalties - UCLA - 3/3 - GW - 3/1
GW Goals: Adonis Vlassis 2, Vasilije Marinkovic 1, Gabriele Molfino 1, Andrei Khudiakov 1, Andrea Forno 1
GW Saves: stats not available at time of publication
UCLA Goals: Ryder Dodd 4, Eli Liechty 3, Vinnie Merk 3, Bode Brinkema 2, Ben Liechty 2, Peter Castillo 1, Gray Carson 1, Max Matthews 1, Noah Rowe 1, Jackson Harlan 1, Chase Dodd 1, Trey Doten 1
UCLA Saves: Nate Tauscher 12, Nick Tovani 4
Team Stats
Chase Dodd
07:34
Wade Sherlock
05:58
Noah Rowe
03:49
Marcell Szecsi
03:03
Ben Liechty
02:25
Bode Brinkema
01:47
Andrea Nuzzo
00:26
Ben Liechty
07:03
Bode Brinkema
06:40
Wade Sherlock
04:40
Luca Imbriolo
03:34
Ben Liechty
03:23
Rafa Martinez
01:53
Hayes Beamon
00:56
Vinnie Merk
00:32
Chase Dodd
Bode Brinkema
05:28
Ryder Dodd
02:17
Ryder Dodd
01:47
Chase Dodd
00:45
Jackson Harlan
06:37
Marcell Szecsi
04:53
Peter Castillo
01:19
Trey Doten
00:31
Wyatt Bugbee
00:07
Ryder Dodd
00:01
