Sunday, September 3
San Diego, CA
9:15 AM
UCLA
21
vs
15
UC Irvine
Freshman Wade Sherlock (four goals) was one of six Bruins to score multiple goals against the Anteaters.
Photo by: Don Liebig/ASUCLA
No. 3 UCLA Goes Big in Win Over No. 10 UC Irvine, 21-15
September 03, 2023 | Men's Water Polo
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SAN DIEGO --ย Third-ranked UCLA (3-0) continued its dominance over the Big West Conference with a 21-15 drubbing of No. 10 UC Irvine (1-2) on Sunday morning in the Triton Invitationalย at Tritonย Pool. The high-scoring affair saw both teams score the most against the other in program history. With the win, UCLA improved to 81-60-1 all-time against the Anteaters.For the second straight game, a total of 12 different Bruins scored in the contest, paced by four goals from freshman Wade Sherlock. Senior Rafael Real Vergara added a hat trick and redshirt freshman Ben Larsen, freshman Ben Liechty, redshirt sophomore Grant Loth, and senior Makoto Kenney each scored two goals against UC Irvine.
Senior Garret Griggsย got the start in the cage and went the distance, tallying five saves and three steals while surrendering 15 goals.
UC Irvine scored the first two goals of the game, but UCLA responded with the next four to win the first period. Kenney (5:25) and Ben Larsen (4:45) each scored power play goals to knot things up. Then Real Vergara struck from the front court (1:45) to give the Bruins their first lead of the game. UCLA would never trail again. Sophomore Gray Carson ended the scoring in the first with a counter goal (0:24).
The Bruins' offense erupted in the second quarter, 8-6, to take a 12-8 lead into the break. Half of UCLA's goals in the second quarter came from Sherlock (6:51, 5:57, 2:14, and 1:36). Real Vergara scored his second (6:27) on a power play and Ben Larsen netted his second on a counter attack (4:29). Then Kenney chipped in his second (3:45) on a counter and redshirt senior Giorgio Alessandria scored his first of the game from two meters (0:46) to put the Bruins up 12-7. UCI got a goal on its next possession to end the scoring in the second period.
UCLA dominated the third period, 6-2, to build a commanding 18-10 lead heading in the final quarter. The Bruins scored the first three goals of the third, beginning with the first for freshmen Ben Liechty (7:13) andย Marcellย Szécsi (5:56). Real Vergara then completed his hat trick on a power play (5:14) that put UCLA up 15-8. Ben Liechty followed suit with his second on a power play (4:00) and then Trey Doten found the back of the net on another 6-on-5 (2:59) to put UCLA ahead 17-9. Loth would follow with a powerful goal from two meters (2:09) to double up the Anteaters at 18-9. UC Irvine scored the final goal of the period (1:39).
The Anteaters won the fourth period, 5-3, to provide the 21-15 final. Redshirt senior Jack Larsen scored from the front court (6:46) to put the Bruins ahead 19-11. Redshirt sophomore Eli Liechty made it 20-12 with a strong scoop and score from two meters with 3:31 remaining. Then Loth scored his second of the game from two meters (0:53) to extend the Bruins' lead to 21-14. UCI would again score the final goal of a period (0:21) on a power play to end the scoring.
UP NEXT: The Bruins will conclude the Triton Invitational later today with a 4:00 p.m. PT game against Concordia University Irvine at Canyonview Pool.
No. 3 UCLA vs. No. 10 UC Irvine (Triton Invitational - Game 3)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 10 UC Irvine | 2 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 15 |
| No. 3 UCLA | 4 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 21 |
6x5 -ย UCLA - 6/9 - UCI - 8/13
Penalties -ย UCLA - 0/1 - UCI - 0/0
UCI Goals:ย Jake Liechty 2, Gage Verdegaal 2, Jack Stevensย 2, Wyley Dale 2, Samuelย Otta 1, Ethan Shipman 1, Dylan Patist 1, Stewart Campbell 1, Luka Krstic 1, Johann Thrall 1, Jasper Dale 1
UCI Saves:ย UCSD did not track goalie stats
UCLA Goals:ย Wade Sherlock 4, Rafael Real Vergara 3, Ben Larsen 2, Ben Liechty 2, Grant Loth 2, Makoto Kenney 2, Eli Liechty 1,ย Marcellย Szécsi 1, Gray Carson 1, Jack Larsen 1, Trey Doten 1,ย Giorgio Alessandria 1
UCLA Saves:ย Garret Griggs 5
Players Mentioned
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UTL
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CTR
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CTR
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ATK
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