UCLA
6-0
Fordham
4-1
No. 1 UCLA 's Offense Shines in Two Big Wins
September 06, 2025 | Men's Water Polo
PRINCETON, N.J. -- No. 1 UCLA (7-0) posted two big victories on Saturday morning to conclude play at the Princeton Invitational, defeating No. 4 Fordham, 16-9, in the first Top Four game of the year, and then defeating (RV) Bucknell, 24-10 at DeNunzio Pool. The Bruins improved to 4-0 all-time against the Fordham Rams and 9-0 against the Bucknell Bison.
UCLA has now reached double-digit scorers in all seven games this season, sporting 13 players against Navy, 10 vs. UC Davis, 11 at UC San Diego, 10 vs. California Baptist University, 11 vs. George Washington, 10 vs. Fordham, and 15 vs. Bucknell.
In the win over Fordham (4-1), redshirt senior Chase Dodd and junior Ben Liechty paced the Bruins' offense with four total points (each had one goal and three assists). Six different Bruins led the team in goal scoring as junior Wade Sherlock, seniors Gray Carson, and Noah Rowe, and sophomores Peter Castillo, Bode Brinkema, and Ryder Dodd, each scored two goals against the Rams,
Redshirt sophomore Nate Tauscher got the starting nod and went the distance, registering nine saves (one on a penalty in the second period) and four steals while allowing nine goals (six on power plays and one on a counter).
The Bruins scored the first two goals of the game and never trailed, winning the first quarter, 4-1, and the second period, 4-2, to take an 8-3 lead into the break. The two teams battled to a 3-3 draw in the third quarter with UCLA holding an 11-6 advantage heading into the final stanza. UCLA won the fourth period, 5-3, to provide the 16-9 final.
In the game against the Bison (1-4), redshirt junior Vinnie Merk paced the Bruins' offense with five total points (two goals and three assists). Freshman Jackson Harlan (first of his collegiate career) and junior Ben Liechty (third of the season) each scored hat tricks to pace the offensive attack for the Bruins, which posted a season-high 24 goals in the win.
Tauscher made his seventh start on the year, registering nine saves while giving up three goals in the first half (pitched a shutout in the second quarter). Redshirt freshman Nick Tovani came on in relief and played the entire second half, picking up four saves while surrendering seven scores.
UCLA, which trailed for the first time this season as Bucknell scored on its opening possession after getting a stop on UCLA's first possession of the game, won the first period, 5-3. The Bruins dominated the second quarter, 8-0, to build a 13-3 lead by halftime. UCLA won the third quarter, 4-3, to take a 17-6 lead into the final stanza. The Bruins scored the last two goals of the first period, all eight goals of the second period, and the first goal of the third period to go on an 11-0 scoring run stretching across those three quarters. UCLA won the fourth period, 7-4, to provide the 24-10 final.
Up Next: The Bruins return home to host No. 7 UC Irvine in its home-opener on Friday, Sept. 12 at Noon. UCLA will also face No. 16 Harvard later that day (5:00 p.m. PT) at Dirks Pool at Spieker Aquatics Center. The week will conclude on Saturday, Sept. 13 when the Bruins host No. 12 Pepperdine at 3:00 p.m. PT.
No. 4 Fordham vs. No. 1 UCLA (Princeton Invitational - DeNunzio Pool - Game 6)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 4 Fordham | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| No. 1 UCLA | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 16 |
6x5 - UCLA - 8/9 - FOR - 6/14
Penalties - UCLA - 1/1 - FOR - 0/1
FOR Saves: stats not available at time of publication
UCLA Goals: Wade Sherlock 2, Peter Castillo 2, Gray Carson 2, Noah Rowe 2, Bode Brinkema 2, Ryder Dodd 2, Marcell Szécsi 1, Ben Liechty 1, Chase Dodd 1, Trey Doten 1
UCLA Saves: Nate Tauscher 9
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| (RV) Bucknell | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 10 |
| No. 1 UCLA | 5 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 24 |
6x5 - UCLA - 6/8 - BUCK - 1/6
Penalties - UCLA - 1/1 - BUCK - 1/1
BUCK Goals: Aleksa Stefanovic 5, Jack Murad 2, Ori Raz 1, Kai Johnson 1, Jack Dillane 1
BUCK Saves: stats not available at time of publication
UCLA Goals: Ben Liechty 3, Jackson Harlan 3, Eli Liechty 2, Marcell Szécsi 2, Peter Castillo 2, Trey Doten 2, Vinnie Merk 2, Wade Sherlock 1, Gray Carson 1, Bode Brinkema 1, Ryder Dodd 1, Chase Dodd 1, Max Matthews 1, Ben Larsen 1, Frederico Jucá Carsalade 1
UCLA Saves: Nate Tauscher 9, Nick Tovani 4
Team Stats
Wade Sherlock
07:11
Gray Carson
03:37
Andras Toth
02:24
Eli Liechty
01:58
Trey Doten
00:08
Balazs Berenyi
06:20
Marcell Szecsi
05:29
Bode Brinkema
02:45
Noah Rowe
01:38
Peter Castillo
00:58
Barnabas Eppel
Ryder Dodd
07:20
Andras Toth
06:51
Ben Liechty
05:30
Luca Silvestri
04:05
Gray Carson
02:02
Luca Silvestri
00:49
Bode Brinkema
06:49
Luca Silvestri
06:20
Chase Dodd
05:52
Luca Silvestri
02:57
Noah Rowe
02:30
Ryder Dodd
01:51
Andras Toth
00:20
Wade Sherlock
