Men’s NCAA Water Polo: UCLA Upsets #1 USC, 6-5 in OT

LOS ANGELES, October 26. PETER Belden scored the game-winning goal with eight seconds left in the first overtime period to lead fifth-ranked UCLA (12-4, 4-0 MPSF) to a 6-5 overtime win over top-ranked USC (14-3) in front of a packed house at Sunset Canyon Recreation Center.

The victory marks the second time in as many weeks that the Bruins have defeated the top-ranked team in the country.

UCLA jumped out to a 3-0 lead after only four minutes of play when David Pietsch, Michael March and Chris Pulido each scored in the first frame. However, the Bruins would be held scoreless for the next 20 minutes of action as the Trojans chipped away at the UCLA lead. USC scored once in each of the first three quarters to even the score heading into the final frame.

James Shin gave the Trojans their first lead of the day when he found the back of the net only 34 seconds into the fourth period. He would post his second goal of the game less than a minute later to give USC a 5-3 advantage. However, back-to-back goals from Josh Hewko and Brett Ormsby would even the score and send the teams into overtime.

Goalkeeper Joe Axelrad put together another strong performance in the cage, allowing only five goals in 34 minutes of action while posting nine saves. Trojan Bozidar Damjanovic also had nine saves on the day.

The Bruins will head to Stanford next weekend for a MPSF latch-up with the Cardinal on Saturday. Game time is yet to be determined.

1-2-3-4-OT=Final
USC 1-1-1-2-0=5
UCLA 3-0-0-2-1=6

USC – Shin (2), Zatovic (2), Hadar
UCLA – Ormsby, Belden, Pietsch, Hewko, Pulido, March

Goalkeepers
USC -Damjanovic (9 saves, 6 GA A)
UCLA – Axelrad (9 saves, 5 GA A)

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