Smoke on the Water: UCLA Outlasts Stanford, USC Survives Fordham in Overtime Battle
NCAA Water Polo Thrillers set up Epic Final on ESPN 3PM PT Tomorrow!
The NCAA Men’s Water Polo semifinals lived up to the hype on December 7, 2024, delivering high drama and unforgettable moments at Stanford University’s Avery Aquatic Center. In a tale of two games, UCLA toppled Stanford in a nail-biting clash, while USC edged out Fordham in an OT thriller to set up a familiar NCAA Final between SoCal elite squads UCLA and USC.
Ryder Dodd’s Spectacular Performance Propels UCLA to Thrilling Comeback Victory Over Stanford
Top-ranked UCLA (25-2) showed why they’re the team to beat, battling back from an early deficit to secure a hard-fought 17-14 win over No. 4 Stanford (22-5) on The Cardinal’s famed Avery Aquatic Center. It was a gutsy performance full of grit, resilience, and big-time plays, as the Bruins punched their ticket to Sunday’s NCAA Championship showdown against their fiercest rival, USC, with the national title on the line.
Ryder Dodd Leads UCLA’s Offensive Charge
UCLA Freshman and USA Water Polo Bronze Medalist Ryder Dodd talliedf 6 goals in today’s semi-final win over Stanford
Ryder Dodd was the undisputed star of the match, pacing the Bruins with a game-high six goals and seven total points. The freshman phenom continued to shine on the biggest stage, delivering clutch goals that fueled UCLA’s comeback.
“Ryder is just a special player,” said UCLA head coach Adam Wright. “For someone so young to step up in these high-pressure situations speaks volumes about his talent and composure.”
Redshirt sophomore Frederico Jucá Carsalade also had a stellar outing, recording his second hat trick of the season. Additional offensive firepower came from redshirt junior Chase Dodd and graduate transfer Nico Tierney, who each netted two goals.
Stanford’s Strong Start
Stanford came out firing, ending the first period with a commanding 5-2 lead behind goals from Grant Watson (#2), Soren Jensen (#5) and Jackson Painter (#11). The Cardinal looked poised to dictate the game early, but UCLA’s resilience and second-period adjustments turned the tide.
“All season long, our second period has been our strongest, and today was no different,” said Wright. UCLA outscored Stanford 5-2 in the second quarter, tying the game 7-7 by halftime.
Second-Half Momentum Shifts
UCLA Fans were Loud and Proud through 4 quarters of play at Avery Aquatic Center, Stanford California.
The Bruins edged the Cardinal 4-3 in the third period, taking an 11-10 lead into the final stanza. The turning point came in the closing moments of the quarter, when UCLA redshirt freshman goalkeeper Nate Tauscher, in just his second collegiate start, made a critical penalty save against Ethan Parrish. The stop energized the Bruins heading into the fourth.
“That save was massive,” said Ryder Dodd. “It gave us confidence to keep pushing, and we carried that energy into the final period.”
In the fourth, UCLA’s offense exploded, outscoring Stanford 6-4 to secure the 17-14 victory. Despite strong efforts from Stanford’s Jensen and Painter, who each scored multiple goals, the Cardinal couldn’t match UCLA’s relentless attack in the final minutes.
USC Survives Fordham in Overtime Classic
The second semifinal was a rollercoaster of emotions as USC narrowly defeated Fordham 15-14 in double overtime. The Rams, who entered the match undefeated, gave the Trojans everything they could handle, proving their place among the sport’s elite.
Exclusions and odd moments vexed USC in the 1st Quarter with players coming in early on power plays, followed by Fordham’s star center sent to the bench for misconduct. A physical game almost unhinged as emotions ran high for both sides. Chippy play? Yes. Both sides amped up? Check. A frantic start bordering on chaos and only halfway through the 1st Quarter!
Fordham goes up early in 1st Quarter on 5 Meter Penalty Shots
USC waves to their fans after their overtime victory over Fordham
All Conference 5th Year Senior Max Miller tied the score 4-4 going into last 30 seconds before an underwater tussle resulted in Fordham Center (#3) Barnabas Eppel and USC (#2) Stefan Brankovich were removed from game play for misconduct. Without their star hole set, Fordham would be challenged to score in their full strength offensive sets.
Luca Silvestri, a Fordham star from Italy, score immediately in the opening of the second period for a 6-4 lead that nearly vanished in a flash as (#28) Zach Pittino from Huntington Beach blasted a short side skipshot followed by yet another game misconduct on Fordham sent (#7) Gabriel Melillo out of the game. (#9) Lopez Duarte from Spain pocketed a short side goal to bring the game to a tie 6-6 with under 5 minutes to playu in the first half.
Fordham relied on power plays and tremendous speed in transition to keep their squad competitive against a veteran USC team lead by Captain (#6) Carson Kranz. However, blatant indiscretions plagued their best efforts. The first half ended with another awkward moment: Fordham (#2) Balazs Berenvi struck #9 Duarte on the head following his 8-7 go ahead shot leading to another misconduct call.
USC’s Jake Ehrhardt (#15) was the hero, scoring the game-winning goal in the second overtime period to send the Trojans back to the championship game. Ehrhardt finished with five goals, including two in overtime, and was a dominant presence throughout the match.“It was a battle,” said Ehrhardt. “Fordham’s a great team, but we stayed composed and made the plays we needed to in the end.”
Fordham’s George Papanikolaou (#6) continued his sensational season with four goals, while Luca Provenziani (#18) added three, including the equalizer in regulation that forced overtime. The Rams’ defense, anchored by goalkeeper Thomas Lercari, frustrated USC’s attack for much of the game. “This group never quit,” said Fordham head coach Brian Bacharach. “We were right there, but USC showed why they’ve been at the top for so long.”
Championship Showdown: UCLA vs. USC
Now, the Bruins and Trojans will battle for the NCAA crown on Sunday, December 8, at 3:00 p.m. PT. UCLA will rely on its defensive prowess and timely scoring, while USC brings championship experience and an edge in close games.
Live coverage of the title game will be available on NCAA.com and ESPNU.
For more NCAA Water Polo coverage, visit SwimmingWorld.com.
