Saturday, December 2
Los Angeles, CA
2:00 PM
UCLA
26-2
17
vs
13
Princeton
28-6
1
2
3
4
F
Princeton
3
5
2
3
13
UCLA
4
3
4
6
17
Senior Jack Larsen paced the Bruins' attack with four goals in the win over the Princeton Tigers.
Photo by: Ross Turteltaub
Top-Seeded UCLA Advances to NCAA Championship Final
December 02, 2023 | Men's Water Polo
LOS ANGELESย --ย No. 3 UCLAย (26-2), the NCAA Championship's top seed, advanced to the title game for the first time since winning it all in 2021 (for the 2020 Championship) with a 17-13 win over No. 5 and fourth-seeded Princeton on Saturday afternoon at USC's Uytengsu Aquatics Center. UCLA improved to 19-0 all-time in the series history.
The Bruins had nine players score in the contest, with redshirt senior Jack Larsen leading the way with four goals. Freshman Wade Sherlock and redshirt senior Giorgio Alessandriaย also contributed hat tricks in the win. Senior Rafael Real Vergara was the fourth Bruin to score in double figures with two goals. Senior Makoto Kenney led the Bruins in scoring with nine points on the strength of a career-high eight assists to go with one goal.
Senior Garret Griggsย got the start in the cage and went the distance, tallying eight saves, four steals, one assist and one goal scoredย while surrendering 13 goals.
The Bruins won the first period, 4-3. After the Tigers scored first (7:34), Jack Larsen scored his first goal of the day on a counter to tie the game at 1-1. Princeton scored back-to-back goals, taking a 3-1 lead. But Sherlock's first goal on the day on a power play (3:06) that was assisted by Kenney, cut the Tigers' lead to 3-2. Sherlock's second goal with a second assist from Kenney (2:24) quickly tied the game, 3-3.ย Real Vergara's first goal (0:02) closed out scoring in the first period on a powerful shot that sailed right over the goalie's head.
The Princeton Tigers took a slight edge in the second period, beating out the Bruins 5-3 to take an 8-7 lead into halftime. The domination of the Sherlock and Kenney duo continued as the second period began with Sherlock completing his hat trick on a power play (5:10) as Kenney's assist total climbed to three to push the lead to 5-3. After a Princeton goal (4:25), freshman Ben Lietchy scored his first on a power play (3:38) to make it 6-4. Two more goals from the Tigers (2:47 and 2:21) tied the game at 6-6, but Jack Larsen's second goal of the day (0:56) put the Bruins back in front at 7-6. But the Tigers scored two goals in the final 0:33 (0:33 and 0:05) to reclaim the lead.
The Bruins bounced back in the third period, winning 4-2 and taking a narrow 11-10 lead into the final stanza. Off of a steal by Griggs, Kenney tied the game 8-8 on his first goal (6:35) on a counter. Gray Carson's lone goal (5:50) gave UCLA a 9-8 lead with Kenney recording his fifth assist. UCLA would build a 10-8 lead on a strong catch and finish (4:30) by Alessandria off an assist from Kenney. After another goal by Princeton (4:09) cut the Bruins' lead to one, but some strong UCLA defense followed to keep the Bruins in front. Jack Larsen completed his hat trick on a power play (1:10) off a seventh assist from Kenney to take an 11-9 lead. But Princeton answered with a power play goal (0:33) to end the scoring in the third trailing 11-10 to the Bruins.
UCLA won the fourth quarter, 6-3, to ice the game for a 17-13 victory. Princeton opened the scoring in the fourth (6:52) to tie the game at 11-11, but Real Vergara scored his second on a power play off another feed from Kenney (6:08) to put the Bruins back in front. Alessandria scored his second (4:08) to extend the lead to 13-11. Jack Larsen scored his fourth on a power play off a feed from Ben Liechty (3:09) to push the lead to 14-11. After a power play goal by the Tigers (2:52), Alessandria completed his hat trick on a two-meter shot (2:41) off a feed from Ben Liechty to make it 15-12. Then the Tigers pulled their goalie to try and steal the ball, but Jucá Carsalade scored his lone goal on an empty net (0:45) to put the Bruins in front 16-12. After a power play goal from Princeton (0:31), Griggs scored on a full-length shot on an empty net with 0:05 remaining to provide the 17-13 final.
UP NEXT: The Bruins now face No. 2 California in the NCAA Championship final on Sunday, Dec. 3 at 3:00 p.m. at USC's Uytengsu Aquatics Center. The title match will be televised live on ESPNU.
No. 5 Princetonย vs. No. 3 UCLA (NCAA Championship - Semifinalsย - Game 28)
6x5 -ย UCLA - 7/9 - PRIN - 7/11
Penalties -ย UCLA - 0/0 - PRIN - 0/0
PRIN Goals:ย Pierce Maloney 3, Vladan Mitrovicย 2, Roko Pozaric 2, JP Ohl 2, George Caras 1, Yurian Quinones 1, Logan McCarroll 1, Mason Killion 1
PRIN Saves:ย Kristóf Kovácsย 6, Vladan Mitrovic 0
UCLA Goals:ย Jack Larsen 4, Wade Sherlock 3, Giorgio Alessandria 3, Rafael Real Vergara 2, Frederico Jucá Carsalade 1, Gray Carson 1, Ben Liechty 1, Makoto Kenney 1, Garret Griggs 1
UCLA Saves:ย Garret Griggs 8
ย
The Bruins had nine players score in the contest, with redshirt senior Jack Larsen leading the way with four goals. Freshman Wade Sherlock and redshirt senior Giorgio Alessandriaย also contributed hat tricks in the win. Senior Rafael Real Vergara was the fourth Bruin to score in double figures with two goals. Senior Makoto Kenney led the Bruins in scoring with nine points on the strength of a career-high eight assists to go with one goal.
Senior Garret Griggsย got the start in the cage and went the distance, tallying eight saves, four steals, one assist and one goal scoredย while surrendering 13 goals.
The Bruins won the first period, 4-3. After the Tigers scored first (7:34), Jack Larsen scored his first goal of the day on a counter to tie the game at 1-1. Princeton scored back-to-back goals, taking a 3-1 lead. But Sherlock's first goal on the day on a power play (3:06) that was assisted by Kenney, cut the Tigers' lead to 3-2. Sherlock's second goal with a second assist from Kenney (2:24) quickly tied the game, 3-3.ย Real Vergara's first goal (0:02) closed out scoring in the first period on a powerful shot that sailed right over the goalie's head.
The Princeton Tigers took a slight edge in the second period, beating out the Bruins 5-3 to take an 8-7 lead into halftime. The domination of the Sherlock and Kenney duo continued as the second period began with Sherlock completing his hat trick on a power play (5:10) as Kenney's assist total climbed to three to push the lead to 5-3. After a Princeton goal (4:25), freshman Ben Lietchy scored his first on a power play (3:38) to make it 6-4. Two more goals from the Tigers (2:47 and 2:21) tied the game at 6-6, but Jack Larsen's second goal of the day (0:56) put the Bruins back in front at 7-6. But the Tigers scored two goals in the final 0:33 (0:33 and 0:05) to reclaim the lead.
The Bruins bounced back in the third period, winning 4-2 and taking a narrow 11-10 lead into the final stanza. Off of a steal by Griggs, Kenney tied the game 8-8 on his first goal (6:35) on a counter. Gray Carson's lone goal (5:50) gave UCLA a 9-8 lead with Kenney recording his fifth assist. UCLA would build a 10-8 lead on a strong catch and finish (4:30) by Alessandria off an assist from Kenney. After another goal by Princeton (4:09) cut the Bruins' lead to one, but some strong UCLA defense followed to keep the Bruins in front. Jack Larsen completed his hat trick on a power play (1:10) off a seventh assist from Kenney to take an 11-9 lead. But Princeton answered with a power play goal (0:33) to end the scoring in the third trailing 11-10 to the Bruins.
UCLA won the fourth quarter, 6-3, to ice the game for a 17-13 victory. Princeton opened the scoring in the fourth (6:52) to tie the game at 11-11, but Real Vergara scored his second on a power play off another feed from Kenney (6:08) to put the Bruins back in front. Alessandria scored his second (4:08) to extend the lead to 13-11. Jack Larsen scored his fourth on a power play off a feed from Ben Liechty (3:09) to push the lead to 14-11. After a power play goal by the Tigers (2:52), Alessandria completed his hat trick on a two-meter shot (2:41) off a feed from Ben Liechty to make it 15-12. Then the Tigers pulled their goalie to try and steal the ball, but Jucá Carsalade scored his lone goal on an empty net (0:45) to put the Bruins in front 16-12. After a power play goal from Princeton (0:31), Griggs scored on a full-length shot on an empty net with 0:05 remaining to provide the 17-13 final.
UP NEXT: The Bruins now face No. 2 California in the NCAA Championship final on Sunday, Dec. 3 at 3:00 p.m. at USC's Uytengsu Aquatics Center. The title match will be televised live on ESPNU.
No. 5 Princetonย vs. No. 3 UCLA (NCAA Championship - Semifinalsย - Game 28)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 5 Princeton | 3 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 13 |
| No. 3 UCLA | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 17 |
Penalties -ย UCLA - 0/0 - PRIN - 0/0
PRIN Goals:ย Pierce Maloney 3, Vladan Mitrovicย 2, Roko Pozaric 2, JP Ohl 2, George Caras 1, Yurian Quinones 1, Logan McCarroll 1, Mason Killion 1
PRIN Saves:ย Kristóf Kovácsย 6, Vladan Mitrovic 0
UCLA Goals:ย Jack Larsen 4, Wade Sherlock 3, Giorgio Alessandria 3, Rafael Real Vergara 2, Frederico Jucá Carsalade 1, Gray Carson 1, Ben Liechty 1, Makoto Kenney 1, Garret Griggs 1
UCLA Saves:ย Garret Griggs 8
ย
Team Stats
PRI
UCLA
Shots
32
30
Goals
13
17
Assists
9
12
Points
22
29
Exclusions
9
11
Steals
5
6
Sprints
3
1
1
Vladan Mitrovic
7:34
Jack Larsen
6:15
Pierce Maloney
4:32
Roko Pozaric
3:35
Wade Sherlock
3:06
Wade Sherlock
2:24
Rafael Real Vergara
0:02
2
Wade Sherlock
4:49
Pierce Maloney
4:25
Ben Liechty
3:38
Vladan Mitrovic
2:47
Roko Pozaric
1:47
Jack Larsen
0:56
Logan McCarroll
0:33
Yurian Quinones
0:05
3
Makoto Kenney
6:35
Gray Carson
5:50
Giorgio Alessandria
4:30
JP Ohl
4:09
Jack Larsen
1:10
George Caras
0:33
4
Mason Killion
6:52
Rafael Real Vergara
6:08
Giorgio Alessandria
4:08
Jack Larsen
3:09
Pierce Maloney
2:52
Giorgio Alessandria
2:41
Frederico Jucรก Carsalade
0:45
JP Ohl
0:31
Garret Griggs
0:05
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
5
Goals
4
Assists
0
Points
4
Shots
5
Goals
1
Assists
8
Points
9
Shots
4
Goals
2
Assists
0
Points
2
Shots
3
Goals
3
Assists
0
Points
3
Players Mentioned
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