UCLA
1-0
UC Santa Barbara
0-1
No. 1 UCLA Posts Two Big Wins to Open Season
September 07, 2024 | Men's Water Polo
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SAN DIEGO --ย The top-ranked Bruins (1-0) maintained their dominance over No. 11 UC Santa Barbara (0-1), with a 13-7 win to open the 2024 season on Saturday morning in the Triton Invitationalย at Triton Pool at Canyonview Aquatic Center. It marked the 18th-consecutive win over the Gauchos as the Bruins improved to 112-17-1 in the series history.A total of eight different Bruins scored in the game, paced by three goals from sophomore Ben Liechty and freshman Ryder Dodd. Freshman Bode Brinkema also scored multiple goals for the Bruins, netting two in the first period.ย
Super senior Garret Griggsย got the start in the cage and went the distance, tallying 10 saves and a steal while giving up seven goals.
The Bruins led 4-2 at the end ofย the first quarter. UCSB scored first (6:01) but Brinkema tied it up with UCLA's first goal of the season (5:12). Redshirt sophomore Ben Larsen put the Bruins up 2-1 (4:35), a lead they would never relinquish. After the Gauchos tied it up at 2-2 (2:20), Brinkema scored his second of the game (1:40) and then freshman Peter Castillo took a feed from Brinkema (1:28) to net his first collegiate goal on a power play, ending the scoring in the first.
UCLA won the second period, 3-1, to take a 7-3 lead into the break. The Bruins scored the first three goals to stretch a consecutive goal scoring streak to five to pull away from the Gauchos. Ben Larsen drew a penalty that Dodd converted (6:20) for his first collegiate goal. Then super senior and Pepperdine graduate transfer Nico Tierney scored a power play goal (4:09) off a feed from redshirt junior Trey Doten. Ben Liechty's power play goal (2:38) put UCLA up 7-2. UCSB would get one back to end the scoring in the second.
The Bruins would win the third period, 3-2, to build a 10-5 lead heading into the fourth. UCSB struck first in the third period, but junior Gray Carson scored his first of the season from two meters (5:08) off an assist from super senior Jack Larsen to put the Bruins up 8-4.ย Then Carson drew a penalty that Ben Liechty converted (3:16) for his second tally of the contest to make it 9-4. After a goal by UCSB (2:00), Dodd scored his second off the game at the buzzer off a pass from sophomore Wade Sherlock on the Bruins' 7-on-6 play that doubled up the Gauchos, 10-5, through three.
The Bruins also won the fourth quarter, 3-2, to provide the 13-7 final. Ben Liechty opened the scoring in the final stanza (6:03) to complete his hat trick. After a goal by the Gauchos (5:39) made it 11-6, Dodd completed his hat trick (2:42) on a power play. UCSB would strike back (2:08) with a power play goal, but Jack Larsen would take a feed from Ryder Dodd to end the scoring (1:37) on a power play for the Bruins.
No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 11 UC Santa Barbara (Triton Invitational - Game 1)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| No. 11 UCSB | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
| No. 1 UCLA | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 13 |
6x5 -ย UCLA - 5/11 - UCSB - 3/12
Penalties -ย UCLA - 2/2 - UCSB - 1/1
UCSB Goals:ย Brock Zamanianย 3, Adam Gyenis 2, Luke Bachler 1, Danilo Dragovic 1
UCSB Saves:ย UCSD did not track goalie stats
UCLA Goals:ย Ryder Dodd 3, Ben Liechty 3, Bode Brinkema 2, Ben Larsen 1, Peter Castillo 1, Gray Carson 1, Jack Larsen 1, Nico Tierney 1
UCLA Saves:ย Garret Griggs 10
ย
Ryder Dodd and graduate transfer Aaron Voggenthaler (UC Davis) each scored a career-high four goals in the win over the Golden Eagles. The Bruins also had three more players register hat tricks, which included Ben Liechty, sophomore Wade Sherlock, and Doten (tied his career best). Additionally, Brinkema, Tierney, and redshirt Max Matthews (first collegiate goals), each scored twice for UCLA.
Griggs got the start and pitched a shutout (no statistics were kept) in the first period. Redshirt freshman Nate Tauscher saw the first action of his career, playing the final three quarters, surrendering seven goals.
In addition to getting off to the 12-0 start, the Bruins led 9-0 at the end of the first period, 16-2 at halftime, 22-5 through three quarters, and won the final period 4-2 to provide the 26-7 final.
UP NEXT: The Bruins will take on Pomona-Pitzer tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. PT at Canyonview Pool before concluding the weekend at No. 12 UC San Diego at 6:30 p.m. PT at Triton Pool.
No. 1 UCLA vs. Concordia University Irvine (Triton Invitational - Game 2)
| SCOREBOARD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| CUI | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| No. 1 UCLA | 9 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 26 |
6x5 -ย UCLA - 3/5 - CUI - 2/7
Penalties -ย UCLA - 3/3 - CUI - 0/0
CUI Goals:ย Sam Diamondย 2, Konstantinos Koulouris 1, Carlos Olatย 1, Jacob Stuart 1, Oscar Garcia Blomback 1, Kanoa Stoddard 1
CUI Saves:ย UCSD did not track goalie stats
UCLA Goals:ย Ryder Dodd 4, Aaron Voggenthaler 4, Ben Liechty 3, Wade Sherlock 3, Trey Doten 3, Bode Brinkema 2, Nico Tierney 2, Max Matthews 2, Ben Larsen 1, Peter Castillo 1, Eli Liechty 1
UCLA Saves:ย UCSD did not track goalie stats (Garret Griggs played the first quarter and Nate Tauscher played the final three)
Team Stats
Adam Gyenis
6:01
Bode Brinkema
5:12
Ben Larsen
4:35
Luke Bachler
2:20
Bode Brinkema
1:40
Peter Castillo
0:28
Ryder Dodd
6:20
Ryder Dodd
4:09
Ben Liechty
2:38
Danilo Dragovic
1:25
Brock Zamanian
5:19
Gray Carson
5:08
Ben Liechty
3:15
Brock Zamanian
2:00
Ryder Dodd
0:01
Ben Liechty
6:03
Adam Gyenis
5:39
Ryder Dodd
2:42
Brock Zamanian
2:08
Jack Larsen
1:37
