UCLA
Stanford
Men's Water Polo Captures MPSF Title By Defeating Stanford 12-11
November 28, 1999 | Men's Water Polo
Nov. 28, 1999
IRVINE, Calif. - With one second remaining in the second overtime period, junior Blake Wellen scored his third goal of the game to give the UCLA men's water polo team a thrilling 12-11 victory over Stanford and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championship title Sunday at the UC Irvine Aquatics Complex.
With the victory, the Bruins (20-3 overall, 8-0 MPSF) earn an automatic berth and the top seed in the NCAA championships Dec. 4-5 at UC San Diego. Also in the four-team tournament field will be Stanford (second seed), UC San Diego (third seed) and the University of Massachusetts (fourth seed). The Bruins will face UMass Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
The last time the Bruins captured a league title was in 1975 under head coach Bob Horn.
UCLA trailed the Cardinal 10-9 with under two minutes left in regulation before sophomoreJeff Pflueger skipped a shot past Stanford goalkeeper Arik Goodman to tie the game, sending the Bruins into their second straight overtime battle.
Stanford freshman Peter Hudnut gave the Cardinal an 11-10 lead with 20 seconds remaining in the first overtime period. As time dwindled in the second overtime period, Wellen scored with 57 seconds left on the clock to knot the game at 11.
Stanford failed to convert on its next possession, while the Bruins made the most of a six-on-five power play after Cardinal senior Michael Lipinski was ejected. Junior Adam
Wright's shot was then blocked by the Cardinal defense, and the rebound was grabbed by UCLA to set up Wellen's game-winner.
The game score was tied seven times throughout the day, with the largest lead held by either
team being a two-point advantage.
Other scorers for UCLA were junior Sean Kern with three goals, Wright with two, junior Andy Bailey with one two-point goal, and freshman
Matt Flesher with one goal. Both Kern and Wright were named to the MPSF all-tournament team,,br> while senior Matt Armato was named the tournament MVP.
1 ot 2 ot Stanford 2 4 1 3 1 0= 11 UCLA 4 0 4 2 0 2= 12
Stanford: Michael Lipinski 2, Peter Hudnut 2, Jeff Nesmith 2 (two-pointer), Sean Joy 2, Andy Walburger, Jonathan Skaalen, Brian Heifferon.
UCLA: Blake Wellen 3, Sean Kern 3, Adam Wright 2, Andy Bailey 2 (two-pointer), Matt Flesher, Jeff Pflueger.
Saves: Stanford - Nick Ellis 2, Arik Goodman 10, UCLA-Brandon Brooks 11.
MPSF Championship All-Tournament Team Sean Kern, Jr., UCLA Adam Wright, Jr., UCLA Brian Heifferon, Sr., Stanford Jerry Smith, Jr., California Gabe Esposto, Sr., Pacific Sean Joy, Sr., Stanford Nick Ellis, Fr., StanfordMost Valuable Player - Matt Armato, Sr., UCLA
