Dec. 2, 2006
LOS ANGELES, CALIF. -
Led by three goals apiece from seniors John Mann, Brian Bacharach, Brian Kinsel and Andrija Vasiljevic, the No. 1-ranked California men's water polo team (30-4) dominated No. 5-ranked UC San Diego (25-6), 17-7, Saturday in the semifinals of the NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship, held at the Burns Aquatics Center on the Loyola Marymount campus. With the victory over the Tritons, the Golden Bears will now face No. 2-ranked USC for the national championship, Sunday, Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. at Burns Aquatics Center. The Trojans had defeated Navy, 20-3, in the other NCAA semifinal.
The USC-Cal match-up for the NCAA crown will be a repeat of last week's Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Tournament title match in which the Bears defeated the Trojans, 6-5, snapping defending national champion USC's 44-match winning streak. Cal will be looking to capture its NCAA-record 12th national crown and its first national water polo title since 1992. The Trojans and the Bears will now be competing against each other for the NCAA water polo championship for the third time, with Cal winning 10-7 in 1983, and 9-8 in overtime in 1987. USC had defeated the Bears three times this season before last weekend's victory by Cal in the MPSF Tournament.
Against UC San Diego, whom the Bears had defeated 12-8 earlier this season, Cal outscored the Tritons 12-4 in the final three quarters to coast into the championship match. The two teams traded goals in the beginning of the first quarter, with Mann scoring at 7:28 and 6.33 for the Bears, before junior Zac Monsees and Kinsel scored back-to-back goals to give Cal a two goal advantage with 3:42 left in the first period. Nestor Dordoni, Steven Donohoe and Jesse Casellini each scored for UC San Diego to keep the match within reach after the first quarter, 5-3.
However, the Bears erupted with five straight goals to begin the second period on scores by sophomore Frank Reynolds, Vasiljevic, junior Kevin Platshon, Bacharach and Vasiljevic, to runaway with the contest. Junior goalie Mark Sheredy finished with eight saves, two assists and three steals; and junior Adam Haley and sophomore Trent Calder also tallied goals for Cal.
Other notable efforts for the Bears were junior Mike Hayes and Vasiljevic with four and three assists, respectively; Kinsel with three ejections earned, and freshman Spencer Warden with two field blocks.
#3 UCSD 3 2 1 1 - 7 25-6
#2 Cal 5 5 2 5 - 17 30-4
UCSD Goals: Jesse Casellini 3, Adnan Jerkovic 2, Nestor Dordini,
Steven Donohoe.
Cal Goals: Brian Bacharach 3, John Mann 3, Brian Kinsel 3,
Andrija Vasiljevic 3, Adam Haley 1, Kevin Platshon 1,
Frank Reynolds 1, Trent Calder 1, Zac Monsees 1.
Saves:Jeremy Randall (UCSD) 3; Mark Sheredy (Cal) 8.
Scoring Summary:
First Quarter:
7:28 - Cal - #4 John Mann
7:10 - UCSD - #14 Steven Donohoe
6:33 - Cal - #4 John Mann
5:17 - UCSD - #22 Jesse Casellini
4:28 - Cal - #16 Zac Monsees - Extra Man
3:42 - Cal - #5 Brian Kinsel
3:15 - UCSD - #6 Nestor Dordoni
1:16 - Cal - #3 Brian Bacharach - Extra Man
Second Quarter:
7:29 - Cal - #10 Frank Reynolds
6:58 - Cal - #15 Andrija Vasiljevic
6:25 - Cal - #9 Kevin Platshon
4:28 - Cal - #3 Brian Bacharach
3:49 - Cal - #15 Andrija Vasiljevic
1:41 - UCSD - #22 Jesse Vasellini - Extra Man
0:46 - UCSD - #9 Andan Jerkovic
Third Quarter:
6:58 - Cal - #5 Brian Kinsel
1:33 - Cal - #6 Adam Haley - Extra Man
0:33 - UCSD - #9 Adnan Jerkovic
Fourth Quarter:
7:18 - UCSD - #22 Jesse Casellini
6:55 - Cal - #3 Brian Bacharach - Penalty Shot
6:18 - Cal - #5 Brian Kinsel
4:39 - Cal - #4 John Mann - Extra Man
3:47 - Cal - #15 Andrija Vasiljevic
2:11 - Cal - #11 Trent Calder
