Bruins Fall to USC in MPSF Championship Game

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STANFORD, Calif. -- No. 1 UCLA (24-2) got off to a slow start and could never recover, falling to No. 2 USC, 14-11, in the 2025 MPSF Championship game on Sunday at Stanford's Avery Aquatic Center. The Bruins fell to 102-94-1 in the series history against the USC Trojans (21-3). With the win, the Trojans clinched their fourth-straight MPSF Tournament title.

UCLA had seven different players score, paced by three goals from sophomore Ryder Dodd. He added an assist to finish with a team-high-tying four total points. Redshirt junior Chase Dodd also scored four total points (two goals and two assists), as did junior Ben Liechty (four assists). Redshirt junior Ben Larsen was the only other Bruin to score multiple goals, finishing with two against the Trojans.

Redshirt sophomore Nate Tauscher got the starting nod and went the distance, tallying four saves while surrendering a season-high 14 goals.

The Bruins got off to a slow start as USC scored the first two goals of the game and led 4-2 at the end of the first period. The Trojans scored a goal at the buzzer in the first, which seemed to provide momentum heading into the second where USC won the period, 6-3, to build a 10-5 advantage by the break. The Bruins only had one save and one field in the entire first half while USC was shooting 83.3 percent from the field (10-for-12). On the offensive side, the Bruins were also struggling at 27.8 percent (5-for-18).

The Bruins looked to be mounting a comeback, scoring the first two goals of the third period to pull to within 10-7, but the Trojans kept UCLA at bay and though they lost the third, 3-2, still had a 12-8 lead heading into the fourth. UCLA tried to make another stab at a comeback and cut it to 13-11 with 2:10 remaining. But the Bruins would get no closer, winning the fourth, 3-2, to provide the 14-11 final.

Up Next: The Bruins await their fate for seeding for the 2025 NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship, which will be announced on NCAA.com at 9:00 a.m. PT on Monday, Nov. 24. UCLA has the best record in the country, is the defending NCAA Champion, and expects to receive one of the two at-large bids handed out by the Selection Committee.

No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 2 USC (MPSF Championship Tournament - Finals - Game 26)

SCOREBOARD	1	2	3	4	FINAL
No. 2 USC	4	6	2	2	14
No. 1 UCLA	2	3	3	3	11

6x5 - UCLA - 5/13 - USC - 1/7
Penalties - UCLA - 0/0 - USC - 1/1

USC Goals: Robert Lopez Duarte 4, Jack Martin 2, Strahinja Krstic 2, Efe Naipoglu 2, Stefan Brankovic 1, Evan Ausmus 1, Mihailo Vukazic 1, Luke Nelson 1
USC Saves: Charles Mills 12

UCLA Goals: Ryder Dodd 3, Ben Larsen 2, Chase Dodd 2, Frederico Jucá Carsalade 1, Peter Castillo 1, Gray Carson 1, Noah Rowe 1
UCLA Saves: Nate Tauscher 4

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Bruins Fall to USC in MPSF Championship Game

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Ryder Dodd

Chase Dodd

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Gray Carson

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Chase Dodd

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Bruins Fall to USC in MPSF Championship Game

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Ryder Dodd

Chase Dodd

Frederico Jucá Carsalade

Noah Rowe

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Gray Carson

Peter Castillo

Chase Dodd

Ryder Dodd

Ben Larsen

Ben Liechty

Noah Rowe

Nate Tauscher

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