2015 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
#113 The top-ranked UCLA Bruins won their second straight NCAA Championship with a 10-7 win over No. 3 USC (22-7) at Dirks Pool at Spieker Aquatics Center on Sunday evening. The Bruins concluded the season at 30-0 on the year, winning their 33rd-straight game, which extends the second-longest winning streak in school history. The all-time record is 50, which was established from 196468. This was the first undefeated season for UCLA since the 1969 team went 19-0. It was also the program’s 10th title and the school’s 113th NCAA Championship, which leads the nation. The undefeated season for the Bruins was just the fourth all-time in NCAA men’s water polo history, joining the 2012 and 2008 USC squads and the 1992 California team. Eight different Bruins scored in the title game, led by juniors Ryder Roberts and Patrick Fellner, each with two scores. Junior goalkeeper Garrett Danner registered 13 saves for UCLA. Roberts was named the 2015 NCAA Men’s Water Polo Championship Most Valuable Player. Joining Roberts as a First Team All-NCAA Tournament selection was senior Daniel McClintick, senior Anthony Daboub and Danner. Junior Gordon Marshall was the lone Bruin to earn Second Team All-NCAA Tournament honors. Grant Stein scored first for the Trojans at 4:13 of the first period. Sophomore Alex Roelse scored the equalizer with 2:48 left in the first. Matteo Morelli put USC back in front, 2-1, with a bar-in shot (2:23). Lachlan Edwards gave the Trojans a 3-1 lead with a goal from two meters (1:50). Roberts then went cross-cage on a hard skipshot to cut the lead to 3-2 (1:38). Roberts then scored his second to tie the game at 3-3 with a power play goal (1:08) which was the final goal of the period.
The 2015 NCAA Champions won UCLA’s 113th NCAA title with an undefeated record of 30-0.
McClintick gave the Bruins their first lead of the game at 4-3 with a goal from the front court with 5:22 to go in the second period. In a defensive-minded period, Roberts hit Marshall at two meters for a power play goal (0:10) and the Bruins pitched a shutout in the second period as UCLA took a 5-3 lead into the break. Mac Carden cut the Bruins’ lead to 5-4 with a power play goal (5:12) to open the scoring in the third period. Fellner scored his first of the game on a power play (3:03) to push the lead back to two at 6-4. Bryce Hoerman scored for the Trojans to cut the lead to 6-5 (1:58). But junior Chancellor Ramirez beat the Trojan goalie with a
high corner shot that pushed the lead back to two at 7-5 (0:49). The Trojans came back with a power play score from Lachlan Edwards to cut it to 7-6 with just 0:25 remaining to end the period. Sophomore Max Irving opened the scoring right out of the gates in the fourth with a goal from the front court at the 7:32 mark to extend the lead to 8-6. Daboub then gave the Bruins their largest lead of the game at 9-6 (4:20) off a nice feed from Roberts. Blake Edwards cut the lead to 9-7 with his first goal of the game with 3:21 to go. Fellner scored the game’s final goal with 0:01 left to provide the 10-7 final. McQuin Baron was credited with 12 saves and two steals for the Trojans while giving up 10 goals. The Bruins converted on 4-of-8 power plays while the Trojans were just 2-for-8. Neither team attempted a penalty shot. No. 3 USC at No. 1 UCLA (NCAA Championship) SCOREBOARD No. 3 USC No. 1 UCLA
1 3 3
2 0 2
3 3 2
4 1 3
F 7 10
6x5 - UCLA - 4/8 - USC - 2/8 Penalties - UCLA - 0/0 - USC - 0/0 USC Goals: Lachlan Edwards 2, Matteo Morrelli 1, Grant Stein 1, Mac Carden 1, Bryce Hoerman 1, Blake Edwards 1 USC Saves: McQuin Baron 12 UCLA Goals: Ryder Roberts 2, Patrick Fellner 2, Daniel McClintick 1, Alex Roelse 1, Gordon Marshall 1, Chancellor Ramirez 1, Anthony Daboub 1, Max Irving 1 UCLA Saves: Garrett Danner 13 The Bruins take the celebratory dive into the pool after the final buzzer sounded.
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