No. 1 UCLA Passes Road Test at No. 5 UCSB, 12-10

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SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- The top-ranked UCLA Bruins (9-0, 0-0 MPSF) passed another tough road test this week with a 12-10 win at No. 5 UC Santa Barbara (11-2, 0-0 GCC) on Saturday night at UCSB's Campus Pool.

With the win over the Gauchos, UCLA improved to 107-17-1 in the series history.

In just his second game back this season, graduate attacker Nicolas Saveljic tallied a game-high four goals in the win over UCSB.

Sophomore goalkeeper Garret Griggs got the start in the cage and went the distance, recording seven saves while allowing 10 goals.

PERIOD ONE
> Giorgio Alessandria took a nice feed from Tommy Gruwell to open up the scoring (7:21).
> UCLA led 3-1 after a penalty score from Saveljic (4:08) and a goal from the front court by redshirt sophomore attacker Jack Larsen (2:23).
> The Bruins led 4-2 at the end of the period after a goal at two meters from redshirt senior utility Felix Brozyna-Vilim (0:15). UCLA outshot the Gauchos 11-5 in the opening frame.
 
PERIOD TWO
> The Gauchos won the second period, 5-3, to tie the game at 7-7 at the break.
> The Bruins got goals from junior attacker Andy Rodgers (7:41), Brozyna-Vilim (5:50), and redshirt freshman attacker Gianpiero Di Martire (penalty goal - 2:44).
> After the penalty goal, UCLA led 7-4. But the Gauchos scored the final three goals of the second quarter (Nathan Puentes scored two and Leo Yuno added one).
 
PERIOD THREE
> UCLA outscored UCSB, 4-1, in the third quarter.
> The Bruins led 9-7 after a penalty goal from freshman attacker Chase Dodd (6:39) and a second goal from Saveljic (3:34).
> UCSB would cut the Bruins lead to one at 9-8 (2:34), but the Gauchos would never get closer.
> Saveljic completed his hat trick (1:42) with a power play goal and then redshirt senior utility Evan Rosenfeld gave the Bruins an 11-8 lead heading into the fourth period (0:47) with a strike from the front court.
 
PERIOD FOUR
> UC Santa Barbara outscored UCLA 2-1 in the last period to provide the 12-10 final.
> Saveljic scored the only goal for the Bruins in the final frame (1:37) on a 6-on-5 opportunity to end his night with four scores.

UP NEXT
UCLA is seeded second at next week's MPSF Invitational hosted by California. The Bruins have a first-round bye on Friday, Sept. 24 and will open play against the winner of Pacific/Pepperdine at 10:40 a.m. PT at Spieker Aquatics Complex on Saturday, Sept. 25.

No. 1 UCLA at No. 5 UC Santa Barbara (Regular season game)

6x5 - UCLA - 3/8 - UCSB - 3/8
Penalties - UCLA - 3/3 - UCSB - 0/0

UCLA Goals: Nicolas Saveljic 4, Felix Brozyna-Vilim 2, Evan Rosenfeld 1,  Jack Larsen 1, Giorgio Alessandria 1, Andy Rodgers 1, Gianpiero Di Martire 1, Chase Dodd 1
UCLA Saves: Garret Griggs 7

UCSB Goals: Nathan Puentes 3, Sam Nangle 2, Cole Brosnan 1, Adam Gyenis 1, Leo Yuno 1, Colton Gregory 1, Ryan Brosnan 1
UCSB Saves: Danny Roland 8