Ryder Dodd takes a shotRyder Dodd takes a shot

Ryder Dodd (photo by Kayla Holguin)

No. 1 Men's Water Polo Downs No. 4 California, 13-11

Men's Water Polo

Dodd totals five goals, three assists in Bruin victory.

Scoresheet

LOS ANGELES - Behind a five-goal, three-assist performance by junior Ryder Dodd, No. 1 UCLA downed No. 4 California 13-11 on Sunday afternoon at Spieker Aquatics Center. 

UCLA (15-1) scored on back-to-back penalty shots in the third quarter to turn a tie game into the first multi-goal lead of the contest and then used two more penalty shots in the fourth quarter to gain the decisive advantage. 

After going scoreless in the second quarter, the Bruins regrouped in the second half and scored six third-quarter goals. The momentum shifted with 4:35 to play when the Bruins earned a penalty, which Frederico Jucá Carsalade scored with ease to give UCLA a 6-5 lead. Another penalty, scored by Luka Gladović, put UCLA on top 7-5, the two-goal advantage being the largest of the game. Goals by Carsalade and Dodd in the final 1:35 gave UCLA a 9-7 lead to end the third quarter. 

Cal (9-4) came roaring back in the final period, scoring the first three goals to regain the lead, 10-9. But another penalty earned and scored by Dodd with 3:33 to play enabled the Bruins to equalize, and a minute later, Peter Castillo earned another five-meter shot, which Dodd buried for an 11-10 lead. Castillo came up big again at 1:08, fighting off a Cal defender to score from close-range for an important insurance goal.  

The Bears scored with 11 seconds left on a Patrik Kolak goal to pull to within one, but with goalkeeper Aran Pina out of net, Dodd scored his fifth goal of the contest to ice it for the Bruins. 

Carsalade, Castillo and Gladović each scored two goals for the Bruins. Jackson Harlan and Max Matthews added one apiece. Ilias Angelopoulos led the Bears with four goals, while Tomas Perrone scored three. 

Bruin goalkeeper Nate Tauscher made eight saves and recorded four steals in the game. Pina totaled nine saves.

UCLA will next host Golden West College (1 p.m.) and Cal Baptist (6 p.m.) on Saturday, Oct. 10.  

No. 1 UCLA 13, No. 4 California 11

SCOREBOARD

1

2

3

4

FINAL

No. 4 California

2

2

3

4

11

No. 1 UCLA

3

0

6

4

13


6x5: California 5/11, UCLA 5/16
Penalties: California 1/1, UCLA 4/4

California Goals: Angelopoulos 4, Perrone 3, Akhvlediani 2, Oprea 1, Kolak 1
California Saves: Pina 9

UCLA Goals: Dodd 5, Carsalade 2, Castillo 2, Gladović 2, Harlan 1 Matthews 1
UCLA Saves: Tauscher 85