UPDATE (4:16 p.m. PT, Oct. 11): With power restored to the University of California, Berkeley campus, Saturday's match vs. Pepperdine will be played at Spieker Aquatics Complex at the originally scheduled time (12 p.m. PT).
----------------------

BERKELEY – No. 6 California will play its first home match in nearly a month when it hosts seventh-ranked Pepperdine for a nonconference contest at noon (PT) on Saturday.
 
Because of potential issues stemming from a regional power shutoff in the Bay Area and on the University of California, Berkeley campus, a decision regarding the location of the match will be made on Friday. Visit CalBears.com and follow the Cal men's water polo Twitter for further information.
 
Despite an 0-2 record at home this season, the Bears (10-5) are aiming to build off last weekend's overtime road victory at San Jose State. Cal already bested the Waves (13-5) once this season with a 9-8 win at the MPSF/SoCal Invitational on Sept. 28 and has won 19 consecutive matches in the head-to-head series, a streak that started in 2008.
 
Saturday's match will have live stats provided via the FOSH.
 
WEEKEND OUTLOOK
Opponents: No. 7 Pepperdine (13-5)
Dates/Times: Saturday, Oct. 12 | 12 p.m. (PT)
Location: Berkeley, Calif.
Live Stats: FOSH
Notes: Cal | MPSF
 
ABOUT PEPPERDINE
The Waves have won three straight games since losing to Cal at the MPSF/SoCal Invitational and enter Saturday's contest with 13 victories. Pepperdine capped its trip to the MPSF/SoCal Invitational with a 14-10 win over Long Beach State and then defeated both Pomona-Pitzer and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in Claremont last weekend.
 
Balazs Kosa is one of the nation's top offensive players with 77 points (55 goals, 22 assists). Three Pepperdine goalkeepers have played at least 64 minutes, including Kyle McKenney, who has 88 saves and a .461 save percentage.
 
LAST TIME VS. PEPPERDINE
Cal netted seven first-half goals and held off Pepperdine in the fourth quarter to seal a one-goal victory (9-8) on Sept. 28 at the MPSF/SoCal Invitational in Los Angeles. Senior goalkeeper Bernardo Carelli earned his first start of the season and posted six of his nine saves in the second half while Jasmin Kolasinac tallied four points on three assists and one goal. Jordan Hoover and Jack Deely had two goals apiece.
 
The Bears' offense came through in pivotal moments throughout the first half, scoring two goals in the final minute of both the first and second periods. Nikos Delagrammatikas put Cal ahead 3-2 with 56 seconds remaining in the first quarter before Deely extended the lead 20 seconds later. With the score tied 5-5 in the second, Deely connected once again at the 1:15 mark to give Cal the lead. The Bears took a 7-5 lead into halftime after Kolasinac nailed a shot with five seconds on the clock. Cal hung onto its lead throughout the second half despite being held scoreless in the fourth quarter. Warren Loth and Safak Simsek each scored once in the third quarter while Carelli took control of the defensive efforts, making six saves over the final 16 minutes.
 
EARNING THEIR STRIPES
With a young roster at his disposal, Cal head coach Kirk Everist has asked multiple freshmen to step up with big minutes and production. The most impressive of those newcomers are goalkeeper Adrian Weinberg and center Nikolaos Papanikolaou, both of which have been named MPSF Newcomer of the Week on Oct. 7 and Sept. 30, respectively. Weinberg has started all but one match between the pipes and ranks ninth nationally with 127 total saves (8.4 per game). Papanikolaou's 36 points and 32 goals are tied for seventh and fourth among MPSF players, respectively.
 
Other freshmen with key reps include Sam Untrecht (nine goals, 14 steals, two field blocks) and Garrett Dunn (seven goals, four assists, eight steals), both of which have played all 15 matches.
 
LUCKY LEFTY
Senior attacker Safak Simsek is on pace to finish his collegiate career as one of Cal's most successful goal scorers and is the team's active leader with 143. A native of Istanbul, Turkey, Simsek has excelled as the focal point of the Bears' offense this fall, as he is second in the MPSF in points (47) and goals (36). The left-hander scored multiple goals in 12 of 15 matches and has netted at least one in all 15. He has added 11 assists and eight steals so far.
 
CAPTAIN HOOVER
Jordan Hoover is making the most of his fifth and final year as a Bear. The team captain ranks third on the team with 27 goals, just six shy of tying his career-best (33) from one season ago. and also needs just nine more to reach 100 for his career With 31 ejections earned, 10 steals and three field blocks to his name as well, Hoover is proving to be one of Cal's most reliable pieces.
 
GREEK LIGHTNING
Of Cal's nine players born outside of the United States are two Greeks, junior Nikos Delagrammatikas and freshman Nikolaos Papanikolaou. Both hail from Athens, Greece.
 
Delagrammatikas (nine goals, seven assists, seven steals), one of Cal's key role players this year, led Greece to the gold medal at the 2017 FINA Junior World Championships and was an All-MPSF honorable mention last season. Papanikolaou has already developed into one of the MPSF's well-rounded players and was the MVP at the 2018 Youth World Championships in Hungary, leading Greece to another gold medal.
 
NEXT TIME
The Bears will take two weeks off from competition before traveling to face UC Santa Barbara on Sunday, Oct. 27. Cal previously lost to the Gauchos, 8-5, earlier this season at the Triton Invitational on Sept. 8.
 
STAY POSTED
For complete coverage of Cal men's water polo, please follow the Bears on Twitter (@CalWaterPolo), Instagram (@CalMWaterPolo) and Facebook (Facebook.com/Cal-Mens-Water-Polo-Fan-Page).