UCLA Men’s Water Polo Cruises Past Cal Baptist, 20-9; Faces Long Beach State Tonight

After their last two games were decided by just one goal each, the UCLA Men’s Water Polo team could really use a game like they played last night against Cal Baptist as the Bruins cruised past the Lancers 20-9.

This game was almost over in the first quarter as UCLA scored eight goals in the quarter which left Cal Baptist trying to play catch-up for the rest of the game.

Max Irving started the scoring for UCLA just 19 seconds into the game on a power play goal. Irving picked up his second goal of the game a little over two minutes later. But, Kyle Christian got the Lancers on the board with 5:03 to go and it was 2-1, Bruins. UCLA scored the next four goals to make it 6-1. Austin Rone scored his first of four goals. Jack Grover and Chasen Travisano also scored before Rone added his second. Christian’s second goal for Cal Baptist cut the Bruin lead to 4, but Rone earned a hat trick when he scored his third goal of the game. Eric Goldenberg picked up UCLA’s eighth goal of the game as time expired at the end of the first to give the Bruins an 8-2 lead.

The second quarter was a much lower scoring quarter than the first. After Kent Inoue opened the scoring with back-to-back goals, Tanner Shore scored for the Lancers to make it 10-3, UCLA. Travisano scored his second goal of the game with 33 seconds left, but Christian finished his hat trick with just 3 seconds left as the Bruins took an 11-4 lead after the first half.

After the break, the Bruins picked right up where they left off in the first half. Raphael Raede scored less than 30 seconds after the sprint while Inoue picked up his hat trick less than a minute later. James Robinson’s goal with just under 4 minutes to go in the third quarter gave the Bruins a 14-4 lead while Inoue added his fourth goal of the game less than 40 seconds later. Cal Baptist responded with three consecutive goals of their own from Christian, Dominick Nevarez and, then, Jonny Lotero. UCLA responded with Rone’s fourth goal of the game and the quarter ended with the Bruins leading 16-7.

Reade scored two more goals for UCLA to start the fourth quarter. That was followed by another one from Goldenberg as the Bruins’ lead increased to 19-7. As time wound down Kyle Rasmussen scored for Cal Baptist and James Vlachonassios scored for UCLA. Nevarez scored the game’s final goal for the Lancers with 13 seconds left and the Bruins walked away with the big victory.

Tonight, UCLA hosts Long Beach State at home at 7pm at the Spieker Aquatics Center.


Go Bruins!!!