Oct. 31, 2010

MALIBU, CALIF. - Led by four goals apiece from senior Zach White and junior Luka Saponjic, the No. 1-ranked California men's water polo team topped No. 10 Pepperdine, 18-7, on Halloween at the Waves' Raleigh Runnels Pool in Malibu. The Golden Bears are now 15-2 overall and 4-0 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, and have won seven straight matches. Pepperdine fell to 9-12 and 1-5 in league play.

Cal also got three goals from Max Bergeson and two goals apiece from juniors Ivan Rackov, Charlie Steffens and Cory Nasoff. Freshman Giacomo Cupido also notched a goal for the Bears. Cal scored 18 goals for the second straight day as the Bears had upended No. 5-ranked UC Irvine, 18-9, on Saturday.

Cal started the contest outscoring the Waves, 6-1, in the first period and never looked back, tallying three more goals in the second period to own a 9-3 lead at halftime. The Bears outscored Pepperdine, 9-4, in the second half.

Senior White had his second big day scoring as he tallied four goals in the win at UC Irvine as well and now has 31 goals on the year and 101 career goals. Rackov, who had six goals Saturday versus the Anteaters, leads the Bears and the MPSF in scoring with 49 goals in 16 matches this season. Saponjic is tied for second with White on Cal's scoring list with 31 goals.

The Bears next host three straight contests at Spieker Aquatics Complex. On Thursday, Nov. 4 Cal hosts Loyola Marymount at 7 p.m. The Bears then host a pair of MPSF matches, taking on UC Santa Barbara Saturday, Nov. 6 at noon and Long Beach State on Sunday, Nov. 7 at noon at Spieker Aquatics Complex.

Cal 6 3 5 4 - 18

Pepperdine 1 2 1 3 - 7

Goals Cal: Luka Saponjic 4, Zach White 4, Max Bergeson 3, Cory Nasoff 2, Ivan Rackov 2, Charlie Steffens 2, Giacomo Cupido

Pepperdine: Matt Brown, Nathan Castillo, Travis Gough, James Perry, Jake Schrimpf, Mike Tragitt, Danny White

Saves Cal: Justin Parsons (7), Wil Toppen (1)

Pepperdine: Bryce McLain (8)