
Chase Dodd was one of three Bruins to score four total points against the Trojans today.
Photo by: Elijah Carr
Bruins Fall to USC in MPSF Championship Game
November 23, 2025 | Men's Water Polo
STANFORD, Calif. --ย 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.ย 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.ย Redshirt junior Chase Dodd also scored four total points (two goals and two assists), as did junior Ben Liechtyย (fourย 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 - Finalsย - 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 -ย UCLA - 5/13 - USC - 1/7
Penalties -ย UCLA - 0/0 - USC - 1/1
USC Goals:ย Robert Lopez Duarte 4, Jack Martin 2, Strahinja Krstic 2, Efe Naipoglu 2, Stefan Brankovic 1, Evan Ausmus 1, Mihailo Vukazic 1, Luke Nelsonย 1
USC Saves:ย Charles Mills 12
UCLA Goals:ย Ryder Doddย 3, Ben Larsen 2, Chase Dodd 2, Frederico Jucá Carsalade 1, Peter Castillo 1, Gray Carson 1, Noah Rowe 1
UCLA Saves:ย Nate Tauscher 4
ย
Team Stats
USC
UCL
Shots
28
34
Goals
14
11
Assists
13
10
Points
27
21
Exclusions
13
7
Steals
3
7
Sprints
0
4
1
Robert Lopez Duart
05:21
Efe Naipoglu
04:10
Chase Dodd
03:38
Evan Ausmus
03:11
Ryder Dodd
01:53
Stefan Brankovic
00:02
2
Robert Lopez Duart
07:10
Ben Larsen
05:44
Jack Martin
05:19
Jack Martin
03:38
Robert Lopez Duart
03:08
Strahinja Krstic
02:07
Chase Dodd
01:33
Luke Nelson
01:07
Ryder Dodd
00:24
3
Ben Larsen
07:35
Gray Carson
04:36
Robert Lopez Duart
01:56
Peter Castillo
01:22
Mihailo Vukazic
00:39
4
Noah Rowe
06:52
Strahinja Krstic
04:03
Ryder Dodd
03:18
Frederico Juca Carsalade
02:10
Efe Naipoglu
01:42
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
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