UCLA
USC (Semifinal)
UCLA Advances to MPSF Title Game
November 21, 2015 | Men's Water Polo
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LOS ANGELES -- The top-ranked UCLA Bruins advanced to the finals of the 2015 MPSF Tournament at USC's Uytengsu Aquatics Center with a 6-3 win over No. 4 USC (19-6) in semifinal action on Saturday afternoon. The Bruins improved to 27-0 on the year, winning their 30th-straight victory, which extends the second-longest winning streak in school history. The all-time record is 50, which was established from 1964-68.
Senior Daniel McClintick led all scorers with three goals. Junior Ryder Roberts increased his season total to nine goals against the Trojans this season in three wins. Junior goalkeeper Garrett Danner registered 11 saves, three steals and three assists for the Bruins. Danner surpassed Chay Lapin (719, 2006-09) with his 720th career save in the final minute of the win.
UCLA got on the board first when McClintick scored a power play goal (4:31). McClintick then made it 2-0 to end the scoring in the first with a nearside goal (2:31).
Roberts put the Bruins up 3-0 with a counter score off a perfect feed from Danner (2:18) for the only score of the second .
Roberts scored his second of the game to put UCLA up 4-0 with a power play score at the 6:39 mark of the third period. McClintick then completed his hat trick to push the lead to 5-0 (3:08). Junior Alex Roelse made it 6-0 when he converted a penalty shot (2:02). Grant Stein then ended the Trojans' scoring drought of 22:34 with a counter score (1:26) as the Bruins headed to the fourth with a 6-1 lead. The Bruins' defense was the key to the game, as UCLA forced 17 turnovers (16 steals and one offensive foul).
USC managed to win the fourth, 2-0, with the Bruins mostly running out the clock on their offensive possessions. Mihajlo Milicevic scored after an ordinary foul to cut the lead to 6-2 (4:45) and Mac Carden scored from two meters (3:48) to provide the 6-3 final. Danner made an epic save that made the history books in the final minute of the game. After the Bruins called timeout without possession of the ball, USC was awarded a penalty shot with 0:56 left. Danner blocked Stein's penalty shot, resulting in the 720th save of his career, a UCLA record.
McQuin Baron was credited with seven saves for the Trojans.
UCLA went 2-for-9 on power plays while the Trojans were 0-for-6. USC went 0-for-1 on penalty shots while the Bruins didn't attempt one.
The Bruins return to action tomorrow in the finals against No. 3 California at 4:30 p.m. The game will be televised live on Pac-12 Los Angeles and Pac-12 Bay Area.
No. 1 UCLA at No. 4 USC (MPSF Tournament - Semifinals)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| No. 1 UCLA | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| No. 4 USC | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
6x5 - UCLA - 2/9 - USC - 0/6
Penalties - UCLA - 0/0 - USC - 0/1
UCLA Goals: Daniel McClintick 3, Ryder Roberts 2, Alex Roelse 1
UCLA Saves: Garrett Danner 11, Alex Wolf 1
USC Goals: Grant Stein 1, Mihajlo Milicevic 1, Mac Carden 1
USC Saves: McQuin Baron 7
