Saturday, December 2
Los Angeles, CA
3:00 PM
UCLA
11
vs
9
Pacific (Semifinals)
Freshman Nicolas Saveljic scored a game-high-tying three goals in the win over Pacific.
Photo by: Amy Dixon, Daily Bruin
No. 1 UCLA Advances to NCAA Finals on Sunday
December 02, 2017 | Men's Water Polo
The Bruins defeat No. 5 Pacific, 11-9
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Freshman Nicolas Saveljic led the Bruins in scoring with a game-high-tying three goals. Three seniors, Alex Roelse, Jack Grover and Max Irving, each scored twice for UCLA. Redshirt sophomore Alex Wolf played the entire game, registering five saves while allowing nine goals, seven on Tiger power plays.
Senior Jack Grover got the Bruins on the board first with a strike from the front court (6:52). Then freshman Nicolas Saveljic put the Bruins up 2-0 with a score from the front court (4:58). Engin Ege Colak scored on a one-timer for Pacific (3:08) to cut the lead to 2-1. But Luke Pavillard scored back-to-back power play goals (0:57 and 0:34) to give the Tigers a 3-2 lead at the end of the first period.
Senior Alex Roelse opened the scoring in the second period (4:02) with a strike from the front court to tie the game at 3-3. Then senior Max Irving scored from the front court to put UCLA up 4-3 with 2:41 left in the second. Saveljic then ended the scoring with the Bruins' first power play goal of the game (1:48), his second score of the contest, to give UCLA a 5-3 lead at the break..
Freshman Felix Brozyna-Vilim made a beautiful turn at two meters and powered one past the Tigers' goalie (7:38) to open the scoring in the third, giving UCLA a 6-3 advantage. Then Pavillard scored his third power play goal of the game (6:55) to cut the Bruins' lead to 6-4. Irving made it 7-4 with his second front court goal (5:45) of the game off an assist from Roelse. Then Saveljic completed his hat trick with a wrist-away power play score (4:11) to double-up the Tigers, 8-4. But Luis Araya got one back for Pacific immediately with a goal from two meters (3:42). Junior Austin Rone then put the Bruins up 9-5 with a goal from the front court (1:50). Ben Stevenson ended the scoring in the third with a power play goal at the 1:04 mark to cut the Bruins' lead to 9-6.
Andres Schmidt opened the scoring in the final period with a power play goal (7:35) to cut the lead to 9-7. But Grover scored his second of the game on a power play off a feed from Irving (4:40) to push the lead to 10-7. Pacific got a second goal by Araya off of two consecutive shots and rebounds that Wolf couldn't get his hands on to secure (2:41) that cut the lead to 10-8. Roelse scored his second of the game on a power play (2:04) to add an insurance score. Stevenson scored a power play goal for Pacific (0:18) to provide the 11-9 final.
The Bruins advance to Sunday's championship game where they will meet #3 USC at 3:00 p.m. PT.
No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 5 Pacific (NCAA Semifinal)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 5 Pacific | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| No. 1 UCLA | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 11 |
6x5 - UCLA - 4/6 - PAC - 7/11
Penalties - UCLA - 0/0 - PAC - 0/0
PAC Goals: Luke Pavillard 3, Ben Stevenson 2, Luis Araya 2, Engin Ege Colak 1, Andres Schmidt 1
PAC Saves: Alen Osmanovic 8, John Hedges 0
UCLA Goals: Nicolas Saveljic 3, Max Irving 2, Alex Roelse 2, Jack Grover 2, Austin Rone 1, Felix Brozyna-Vilim 1
UCLA Saves: Alex Wolf 5
Players Mentioned
UTL
/ Men's Water Polo
ATK
/ Men's Water Polo
ATK
/ Men's Water Polo
UTL
/ Men's Water Polo
ATK
/ Men's Water Polo
ATK
/ Men's Water Polo
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