UCLA
Pacific
No. 2 UCLA Pummels No. 6 Pacific, 15-6
September 20, 2014 | Men's Water Polo
STOCKTON, Calif. -- The No. 2 UCLA men's water polo team faced its first test of the season at No. 6 Pacific, and passed it easily with a 15-6 win in the quarterfinals of the Kap7 NorCal Classic on Saturday afternoon at Chris Kjeldsen Pool at Pacific. UCLA improves to 10-0 on the year, marking the third straight season it has accomplished that feat.
The Bruins were led by a trio of players with two goals, including junior Danny McClintick, sophomore Gordon Marshall and redshirt freshman Matt Farmer. UCLA has outscored its opposition 202-30 in 2014 while going 4-0 against ranked teams. Freshman Alex Roelse only attempted one shot against the Tigers and saw his nine-game scoring streak come to an end.
UCLA jumped out to a 3-1 start at the end of the first period. Marshall opened the scoring on a counter attack (6:38) and senior Cristiano Mirarchi added a score from the front court (2:10) as UCLA led 2-0. Senior Chris Fahlsing added a goal from the front court (:26) to push the lead to 3-0. But Pacific got on the board with a power play goal from Casey Fleming just before the buzzer (:01) to trim the Bruins' lead to 3-1.
Just like in the first game of the day, the Bruins were firing on all cylinders in the second period, outscoring Pacfic 6-1, to lead 9-2 at halftime. After Pacific's Ben Stevenson made it 3-2 with a penalty shot (7:14), UCLA reeled off six straight goals to put the game away. Senior Daniel Lenhart got things started with a goal from the front court (6:49). Marshall's second of the game, this one at two meters (6:05), gave the Bruins a 5-2 advantage. Then junior Anthony Daboub (5:15), McClintick (4:28) and senior David Culpan (3:56) each scored on counter attacks and the Bruins were off an rolling, up 8-2. Sophomore Chancellor Ramirez scored from distance with :54 left to end the scoring in the second.
UCLA posted a 4-2 advantage in the third period, with sophomore Ryder Roberts opening the scoring with a steal and score at the 5:49 mark. Pacific got an exclusion goal from Michael Woodbury to make it 10-3 (5:30), but Farmer scored at set to push the lead to 11-3 (4:16). McClintick then lobbed one in for his second score of the game (3:44), followed by another goal at two meters, this time from sophomore Alec Zwaneveld (3:01) as the Bruins led 13-3. Sean Grady scored a goal at full strength to cut the lead to 13-4 (1:48) to end the scoring in the third.
The Bruins made wholesale changes in the fourth and battled to a 2-2 tie. Senior Christopher Meinhold opened the scoring with a front court strike (7:30) and Farmer added his second from two meters (6:34) as the Bruins led 15-4. Grady pulled Pacific to within 10 with a 6-on-5 goal (4:12) and J.T. Sarmento scored from two meters (3:17) to provide the 15-6 final.
The Bruins were 0-for-2 on power plays while the Tigers were 3-for-7. Pacific converted the only penalty shot of the game.
Sophomore Garrett Danner started in goal for UCLA and was replaced by Senior Stephen White with 6:34 to go in the fourth. Danner was credited with six saves and three steals, allowing four goals, while White made two stops and allowed two goals. Brady Moore started the game in goal for Pacific and played the first three quarters, making six saves while surrendering 13 goals. Chris Hughes replaced him in the fourth and had three stops while giving up two scores.
The Bruins advance to tomorrow's semifinal round and will face No. 3 USC at Noon at Pacific.
No. 2 UCLA at No. 6 Pacific
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
| No. 2 UCLA | 3 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 15 |
| No. 6 Pacific | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
UCLA Goals: Matt Farmer 2, Gordon Marshall 2, Danny McClintick 2, Anthony Daboub, Ryder Roberts, Christopher Meinhold, Alec Zwaneveld, Chancellor Ramirez, Daniel Lenhart, Cristiano Mirarchi, Chris Fahlsing, David Culpan
UCLA Saves: Garrett Danner 6, Stephen White 2
Pacific Goals: Sean Grady 2, J.T. Sarmento, Casey Fleming, Ben Stevenson, Michael Woodbury
Pacific Saves: Brady Moore 6, Chris Hughes 3
Players Mentioned
