Nov. 6, 2010

BERKELEY - Junior Ivan Rackov scored four goals and sophomore goalie Justin Parsons notched 13 saves as the No. 1-ranked California men's water polo team defeated No. 6 UC Santa Barbara, 12-5, Saturday at Spieker Aquatics Complex. The Golden Bears improved to 17-2 overall (5-0 in the MPSF) and have now won nine straight matches. The Gauchos fell to 10-7 and 1-3 in league play.

Senior center Zach White chipped in three goals and junior attacker Luka Saponjic added two scores. Senior captain Brian Dudley, junior Jack Stampfl and freshman Perry Short also scored for Cal. Rackov and Dudley also led the Bears with three assists apiece, and Rackov had a team-high three steals.

Rackov is the MPSF's leading scorer with 56 goals in 18 matches. White is second on the squad with 39 goals.

Cal scored the first two goals of the match on scores by Dudley and Saponjic in the first period. UCSB came back with the next two goals on shots by Matt Gronow and Lazar Komadinic to tie the contest, 2-2, with 3:14 left in the first period. The Bears were able to recapture the lead when Stampfl had a nice move from two-meters and newcomer Short scored on a six-on-five goal after White had forced a kickout to take a 4-2 lead after one quarter.

A goal by Brian Shoemaker with 7:07 in the second period got the Gauchos within 4-3, but two straight goals by Rackov and the first of White's three goals gave Cal a 7-3 cushion and put the match out of reach.

The Bears will next host No. 8 ranked Long Beach State on Sunday, Nov. 7 at noon at Spieker Aquatics Complex. Cal leads the MPSF with a 5-0 league record.

UC Santa Barbara 2 2 0 1 - 5

Cal 4 4 3 1 - 12

Goals UC Santa Barbara: Matt Gronow 2, Lazar Komadinic, Brian Shoemaker, Zsombor Vincze

Cal: Ivan Rackov 4, Zach White 3, Luka Saponjic 2, Brian Dudley, Jack Stampfl, Perry Short

Saves UC Santa Barbara: Fraser Bunn 4, Myles Christian (2nd half) 5

Cal: Justin Parsons 13