Perhaps the result reflects what was expected.
Perhaps it was nearly a guarantee, given the circumstances.
And perhaps the focus is on future matches.
Nonetheless, the Bruins rose to the occasion.
No. 1 seed UCLA men’s water polo (23-1, 5-1 MPSF) bested No. 8 seed Penn State Behrend (8-18, 2-1) 36-4 to advance past the first round of the MPSF tournament at Avery Aquatic Center in Palo Alto, California, on Friday afternoon. The Bruins will move on to the semifinal match, where they will face either No. 4 seed California or No. 5 seed Johns Hopkins on Saturday.
From the very beginning of the game, the Westwood offense operated with all cylinders firing.
The first half alone witnessed 18 goals by 11 different Bruins, five of whom had multiple scores. As a squad, the Bruins posted a .800 shot percentage through the first two quarters. That tally would match or exceed UCLA’s final score in 14 matches this season.
And the scoring came from all over the pool.
Whether it was a first-quarter shot that junior center Marcell Szécsi powered through a double team with hands in his face, a second-quarter lob to redshirt senior attacker Trey Doten – who clinched a career-high four scores – or a game-leading and career-high six total scores by freshman attacker Jackson Harlan, the Bruins made their mark in creative and effective ways.
One of UCLA’s biggest advantages came from the eight turnovers it forced, many of which led to lightly contested fast breaks or one-on-ones in transition. A quick sprint up the deck by junior attacker Wade Sherlock – who totaled three scores – opened the game to an early 3-0 lead.
The Bruins outshot the Behrend Lions by 19 more attempts and scored on a .837 goal percentage to the Lions’ .167.
That deficit would be as large as seven before Penn State Behrend found the back of the net for the first time with 2:15 left in the first frame, when a shot by utility Nick Thompson narrowly rolled into the frame, not even hitting nylon. However, it would score just three more times for the remainder of the game, largely credited to a stifling first-half defense by redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Nate Tauscher’s .714 save percentage.
The All-MPSF Second Team selection would be subbed out in the second quarter for redshirt freshman Nick Tovani, following a 16-point halftime advantage. Tovani totaled a career-best nine saves, despite only playing for part of the game.
“Being able to not allow teams to score many goals is going to be the key for us to do well,” said redshirt senior center Eli Liechty. “Just playing together is very important.”
Liechty was particularly effective, recording a hat trick through two quarters and a career-high five total, making a significant impact down low on the one- and two-meter lines. Six other Bruins had at least three goals, including sophomore utility Bode Brinkema’s perfect four-score game.
Alongside Brinkema, six other Bruins were perfect from the field in what would be UCLA’s highest scoring game and largest victory all season – a product of a dominant team effort. Of the Bruins’ 36 goals, 32 were assisted on, helmed by six from junior utility Ben Liechty.
Sherlock led the squad with eight total points, tied with Brinkema and Ben Liechty.
“It was just clicking for us all,” Brinkema said. “Just focusing on how we play as a team and sticking to our details like we do each game.”
Although most of the usual starters were subbed out after halftime, many other players were able to get valuable playing time in a postseason environment.
And that did not stop the energy either, as UCLA matched its first-half goal count with 18 more. The Bruins’ 36 goals are the third-most in program history and the most since 1971.
With their historic performance, the Bruins can look to extend that into the tournament’s semifinal match, which will kick off 1 p.m. Saturday.
