LA JOLLA – The No. 1 UCLA men’s water polo team (29-3, 8-0 MPSF) brought home its ninth NCAA men’s water polo title and 112th in UCLA history with a 9-8 win over six-time defending champion USC on Sunday afternoon at UCSD’s Canyonview Aquatic Center.
The 29 wins tied UCLA’s single-season record (29-5 in 1988) as the Bruins earned their first NCAA Championship since 2004, coincidentally the last time UCLA went undefeated in MPSF play. The win over the Trojans improved UCLA record this season against USC to 4-1, which equalled its record against the Adam Krikorian-coached squad in 2002.
Junior Danny McClintick led all scorers with four goals and was named the NCAA Tournament MVP. Sophomores Garrett Danner and Gordon Marshall joined McClintick on the NCAA’s All-Tournament First Team. Seniors Cristiano Mirarchi and Paul Reynolds were both named to the Second Team.
Top-seeded UCLA struck first when sophomore Chancellor Ramirez scored from the front court (4:25). Senior Daniel Lenhart then set up redshirt freshman Matt Farmer for a cross-cage score to put the Bruins up 2-0 (1:13) and end the scoring in the opening stanza.
James Walters scored first for the Trojans in the second quarter to cut the lead to 2-1 (5:02). But McClintick pushed the lead to 3-1 on the next possession (4:43). USC answered with a power play goal by Mihajlo Milicevic to trim the lead to 3-2 (3:37). But senior David Culpan fired a shot bar-in that pushed it back to 4-2 (3:17). That score would hold up till halftime.
Matteo Morelli opened the scoring in the third with a power play goal to cut the lead to 4-3 (6:59). McClintick then scored his second on a 6-on-5 opportunity (4:29) to push the lead to 5-3. McClintick scored his second straight to complete a hat trick and double up the Trojans at 6-3 (1:05). Nick Bell answered with an exclusion goal (0:06) to trim the lead to 6-4. But sophomore Jack Fellner had the last word with a goal from half-tank at the buzzer to end the scoring in the third with the Bruins leading 7-4.
Kostas Genidounias opened the scoring in the fourth with a nice lob shot (7:45) to make it 7-5. Marc Vonderweidt converted a Trojan power play to cut the lead to 7-6 (4:29). Then Genidounias tied the game with a goal at full strength to make it 7-7 (3:32). McClintick gave the Bruins an 8-7 lead with 3:13 to go, but USC’s Vonderweidt tied it at 8-8 on the next possession (2:50). Sophomore Gordon Marshall wouldn’t be denied as he hit the game-winner from two meters with 0:34 to go. The Bruins got the stop on the next possession and then ran out the clock.
2014 NCAA Tournament – Championship: No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 3 USC
Dec. 7, 2014 – Canyonview Aquatic Center (La Jolla, Calif.)
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USC Goals: Kostas Genidounias 2, Marc Vonderweidt 2, Matteo Morelli, Mihajlo Milicevic, Nick Bell, James Walters
USC Saves: McQuin Baron 6
UCLA Goals: Danny McClintick 4, Chancellor Ramirez, Gordon Marshall, Matt Farmer, David Culpan, Jack Fellner
UCLA Saves: Garrett Danner 9
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No, Jeff, Adam Krikorian was UCLA’s coach in 2004 when Bruins last won NCAA title.