The circumstances may have been perfect for defeat.
Torrential rain in rival territory.
The previous matchup ended in a one-goal loss – the first after 21 victories.
And the conference’s top seed was at stake.
But despite all that, No. 2 UCLA men’s water polo (22-1, 5-1 MPSF West) got revenge on crosstown rival No. 1 USC (18-3, 4-2) 14-13 on Saturday at Uytengsu Aquatics Center. The one-point margin was a reversal of the Oct. 18 outcome, when the Trojans gave the Bruins their sole 2025 loss. The win also gave the Bruins the No. 1 seed in the MPSF tournament next weekend and the conference win for the third consecutive season.
[Related: UCLA men’s water polo loses 21-game winning streak to crosstown foe USC]
“We didn’t play our best game,” sophomore attacker Ryder Dodd said. “But we came into a hostile environment that’s going to make us a lot better. Comparing it to the year, we’ve proven we’ve gotten better. We’ve proven we’re gaining trust within the group, but there are still a few little things we need to improve on in order for this whole thing to work.”
Although UCLA scored the match’s first three goals, it conceded five in the second quarter alone to create a one-point halftime deficit.
The Bruins have struggled all season against top-ranked foes in closing quarters despite often boasting strong opening frames.
In all but one of UCLA’s matchups this year against USC and No. 3 Stanford, the squad played either from behind or tied to enter the second half despite mounting a lead in the first quarter of each contest.
“We can’t have letdowns like that against teams like this,” coach Adam Wright said. “Otherwise, it’s going to cost us at some point.”
Dodd, the conference’s leading scorer, struggled out of the gate – failing to find the back of the net until halfway through the third quarter. Nonetheless, the Long Beach, California, local finished with four goals and earned his third straight MPSF West/Delfina Player of the Week award.
Dodd earned the recognition by scoring the game-winning penalty shot with just over a minute left in the game before landing a field block at the buzzer on a seven-on-six power play.
“There are certain times where I may force things,” Dodd said. “Probably the greatest thing I did this game was letting it come to me and opening up my teammates more and more, making it easier.”
Redshirt junior attacker Frederico Jucá Carsalade and sophomore utility Bode Brinkema joined Dodd’s efforts, netting two goals apiece. Although only three Bruins recorded multiple scores, junior utility Ben Liechty found playmaking success, posting three assists – his 11th time reaching that mark this season.
Carsalade cited how tightened rotations and a cohesive group effort were the most striking differences Saturday compared to the previous crosstown affair.
“Comparing to last game, I had a really good defensive game,” Carsalade said. “We had a few slip-ups from the center, but the group did a good job in getting steals and getting our hands on the ball so we can help our goalie.”
Wright stressed the importance of getting more hands on deck defensively to relieve pressure on redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Nate Tauscher after the rest of the team notched just one field block in the previous USC matchup.
The Bruins improved that tally to four Saturday.
However, Tauscher still allowed 13 goals for the second time this season, both occurring against USC – his highest tallies all year.
The Trojans were led by utility Stefan Brankovic – who paced the game with seven points – delivering a pair of goals and five assists. 2-meter Strahinja Krstic and driver Robert López Duart scored four and three goals, respectively, to supplement Brankovic’s efforts.
USC arguably achieved its greatest advantage in power plays on both six-on-fives and five-on-sixes. While both teams drew 13 exclusions each, the Bruins capitalized on just one of their power play opportunities compared to the Trojans’ eight.
However, the Bruins’ late-game execution was just enough for them to edge out a revenge victory.
Regardless, UCLA’s mindset for the games that matter most is clear.
“Everyday we train for these types of moments, and every moment has a life of its own,” Dodd said. “We treat every moment the same. It’s nothing new to me or to this group that we’re in this type of situation … We were ready.”
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