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NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship: UCLA wins second straight national title

Dec 6, 2015
@UCLAWaterPolo

The Crosstown Showdown was played in the pool Sunday night, as top-ranked UCLA and USC duked it out for NCAA Men's Water Polo title. It was a toss-up match until the bitter end, but the Bruins pulled away with a 10-7 win over the Trojans to keep the title in Westwood. The win sealed UCLA's 10th water polo title and 113th national title in school history. The win kept alive a 33-game win streak for the Bruins; they went undefeated (30-0) this season.

 

Third ranked USC took an early lead to start of the title game at the Spieker Aquatics Center in Los Angeles. Goals from Trojans Alex Roelse, Matteo Morelli and Lachlan Edwards put USC up 3-1 with less than two minutes left in the first quarter. But Bruin Ryder Roberts tallied two quick goals to tie it up going into the second. The Bruins defensive effort--led by junior goalkeeper Garrett Danner, who collected 13 saves on the game-- held USC scoreless in the second quarter. Senior Daniel McClintick put the Bruins ahead and Roberts connected with Gordon Marshall on the power play goal, putting UCLA up 5-3 lead at the half.

 

USC played catch up the rest of the way, only able to cut its lead to one goal, at best, before the Bruins could regain control. Anthony Daboub finally broke the Bruins free, scoring to put his team up 9-6 with just under five minutes left in the game. The lead was too steep a climb for the Trojans, who watched their rivals and a sold out crowd celebrate their title