Pacific Hosts Annual Men’s Water Polo Pacific Cup Tournament
Photo provided by Mōhailani Peloso
A recap of all twelve games in the tournament.
Pacific’s Men’s Water Polo hosted The Pacific Cup for the second consecutive year, featuring an eight-team tournament consisting of: University of California, Berkeley, Stanford, University of California, Los Angeles, California Baptist University, San Jose State University, the USA Youth National Team, and, of course, the University of the Pacific.
The tournament spanned across Coachella weekend on April 12th to April 13th at the Chris Kjeldsen Pool at the Douglass M. Eberhardt Aquatics Center.
Game 1 - Stanford vs. California
Stanford vs. California kicked off the tournament at 10 AM on Saturday. The first quarter was marked by defensive intensity until Max Zelikov scored for Stanford with 3:54 remaining. The final two minutes saw a flurry of shot attempts. Ryan Ohl extended Stanford’s lead to 2-0 before Marci Szatmary answered for Cal at 1:53. With just one second left, Botond Balogh scored, giving Stanford a 3-1 lead at the end of the first.
Stanford maintained its lead until Albert Ponferada tied the game 4-4 at 5:11 in the second. Cal took its first lead at 1:53 with a goal from Brennan Fuschlin, but Stanford quickly responded to tie it again.
The third quarter featured back-and-forth scoring, with five ties and five lead changes, ending in a 9-9 tie.
Stanford struck first in the fourth quarter after winning the sprint. Cal responded with a powerplay goal to even it at 10-10. Stanford scored twice in a row before Cal scored with 44 seconds left, but Stanford held on for a 12-11 win.
Game 2 - California Baptist University vs. USA Junior National Team
Group B division play began at 11:15 AM with a California Baptist University (CBU) matchup vs. the USA Junior National Team.
USA won the opening sprint and scored on the first possession. CBU’s Toring Stanley tied it at 1-1 with 3:15 left, and CBU scored again with two seconds remaining to close the first quarter tied 2-2.
USA again took the sprint in the second but went on a scoring drought, allowing CBU to net three unanswered goals for a 5-2 lead. USA closed the gap to one, but CBU pulled away again, ending the half up 7-4.
CBU capitalized on a USA turnover to open the third with a goal. USA scored twice, one on a man-up advantage, but still trailed 9-6. CBU added another goal on the powerplay and led 10-7 at the quarter’s end, with USA having two shot attempts blocked.
CBU scored early in the fourth on another man-up opportunity. Landon Akerstrom responded quickly for USA, but CBU answered immediately. Akerstrom scored again at 5:15, but despite another USA goal, CBU added three more, securing a 15-10 victory.
Game 3 - University of the Pacific vs. University of California, Los Angeles
At 12:30 PM, Pacific faced off against UCLA in their debut. With several new faces following senior graduations and exhausted NCAA eligibility, Pacific aimed to prove itself. Pacific’s Mihailo Vukazic and UCLA’s Ryder Dodd are among three finalists for the Peter J. Cutino Award.
Pacific won the sprint, and freshman Ori Buzaglo opened scoring in his Pacific Cup debut. UCLA responded with three goals from three different players, ending the first quarter up 3-1.
UCLA extended their lead to 4-2 early in the second, but Pacific cut it to one with goals from Yoav Rendler and Filip Norell. UCLA followed with another two-goal burst, though Norell capitalized on a man-up play to make it 6-4. Each team scored twice more, keeping it competitive at halftime with UCLA leading 8-6.
UCLA dominated early in the third with three straight goals for a 9-4 advantage. Rendler ended Pacific’s scoring drought at 3:37, and Vukazic scored at 1:42, but UCLA closed the quarter strong with three more goals for a commanding 13-6 lead.
The fourth quarter opened with strong defense from both sides. Norell scored Pacific’s only goal of the quarter at 4:19, and Dodd sealed the game with a goal 24 seconds before the final whistle.
Though both teams had 18 blocks, Pacific committed three more turnovers. UCLA had nine more shot attempts and four more steals. Norell led Pacific with a hat trick. UCLA defeated Pacific 15-7. Pacific would face Cal next in the loser’s bracket.
Game 4 - San Jose State vs. Pepperdine University
Pepperdine won the opening sprint, but SJSU scored first at 6:37. Erik Ionescu equalized for Pepperdine, and the first quarter ended 1-1.
SJSU scored twice for a 3-1 lead. Sandor Gal scored on a powerplay to cut the lead, sparking a run of two more Pepperdine goals—including another from Ionescu. SJSU tied it 4-4 at 2:36. The teams traded goals again, ending the half tied 5-5.
Pepperdine opened the third with two quick goals. SJSU responded with two of their own, but Pepperdine followed with a three-goal run to lead 10-7. SJSU rallied late with two goals in the final minute, narrowing the gap to 10-9.
The fourth quarter was quiet until Pepperdine scored with 3:57 left. SJSU’s Erik Duesund responded 30 seconds later. Pepperdine added another on a powerplay for a 12-10 lead. SJSU scored again with the extra man advantage but missed a crucial final shot. Pepperdine’s 56% powerplay success rate proved key in their 12-11 win over SJSU.
Game 5 - University of the Pacific vs. California
Pacific opened the game with energy and firepower, taking a 1-0 lead just under seven minutes in after a natural goal by Manuel Pembertty. Rendler and Vukazic each added power play scores in the first half, and Pembertty converted a penalty to help the Tigers trade blows with Cal throughout an evenly matched opening two quarters.
By halftime, the Tigers were down by just one goal, trailing 7-8 after a gritty, back-and-forth second quarter that featured three lead changes. Rendler and Vukazic both capitalized on man-up situations, and goalie Benjamin Gronbach was active with multiple blocks in the cage, helping to offset Cal's early pressure.
However, the third quarter was the turning point. Cal came out of the break with three unanswered goals, stretching their lead to 11-7. Vukazic maintained strong offensive power, but Cal’s transition game proved too much. By the end of the quarter, the Bears held a commanding 15-8 advantage.
The fourth quarter had several drawn exclusions and shot attempts from Pacific, influencing a scoring drought. Gronbach continued to hold his own defensively, adding more blocks to his stat line, but Cal’s depth and efficiency with man-up opportunities sealed the Tigers’ fate. A late goal by Daniel Warman with fifty-four seconds left brought Pacific’s total to nine, but it was not enough to close the gap as Pacific fell 17-9 to California.
Game 6 - University of California, Los Angeles vs. Stanford
Gray Carson scored back-to-back goals within the first two minutes, giving UCLA an early 2–0 lead. Defensive stops from Nate Tauscher helped UCLA maintain momentum throughout the opening quarter.
Stanford responded with goals from Orestis Zervoudakis and Ryan Ohl, but UCLA capitalized on exclusions, converting two 6-on-5 opportunities with goals from Ryder Dodd and Trey Doten to end the first quarter up 6–2.
Stanford struck first in the second quarter, but UCLA quickly responded with another three-goal stretch, including goals from Carson, Peter Castillo, and Ben Liechty. Despite Stanford adding two more goals before the half, UCLA held a comfortable 9–4 lead at halftime.
UCLA continued to control the third quarter with five different players finding the back of the net. Frederico Juca, Castillo, Wade Sherlock, Bode Brinkema, and Chase Dodd extended the lead to 15–6. Stanford managed two goals from CJ Indart and Chase McFarland, but the gap remained wide.
In the final frame, UCLA added three more goals, including Castillo’s third of the game and a final strike from Liechty with one second remaining. Stanford added two late goals from Zervoudakis and Ben Forer, but it was not enough to threaten UCLA’s commanding lead. UCLA won 18-8 and moved to the championship bracket.
Game 7 - USA Junior National Team vs. San Jose State University
USA got on the board early with a goal from Finn LeSieur and added two more before the end of the first quarter, with Gavin Appledorn and Nicholas Austen each finding the back of the net. Strong team defense and key blocks from Charlie Mills helped USA keep SJSU to just one goal in the opening frame.
In the second quarter, USA continued to build momentum. LeSieur notched his third goal of the day, while Caden Poulleau scored twice to push the lead to 10-2. SJSU answered with goals from Maro Tiozzo and Samu Biros, but the Tigers entered halftime with a 10-4 advantage.
USA opened the third with another penalty conversion by Akerstrom and tacked on several more goals, including a 6-on-5 from Jack Pointer and a natural goal from Austen. Carrington added a late-quarter goal to make it 15–6 heading into the final stretch.
SJSU showed some late energy with goals from Marquez, Tiozzo, and Fehrensen, but USA responded with solid defensive plays and one last strike from Oliver Marcin to close out the match with a win of 18-9.
Game 8 - Pepperdine vs. California Baptist University
Pepperdine came out fast and aggressive in the opening quarter, establishing an early lead. Adam Csapo scored twice in the first five minutes, while his teammates kept the pressure on CBU's defense. Despite the Lancers' best efforts, including a power-play goal, the Waves' defense held strong. Pepperdine ended the first quarter with a 5-2 lead.
Pepperdine extended their advantage in the second quarter, with goals from Riley Rupp and Owen Tift pushing the lead to 7-2. CBU struggled to break through, but they did manage to score on a man-up opportunity with a goal by Imbriolo. Still, Pepperdine’s offense kept coming. With several fast breaks and quick transition plays, they stretched their lead to 12-6 by halftime.
Pepperdine came out of halftime with the same intensity they showed in the second quarter. Owen Tift opened the scoring with a goal that set the tone, and Adam Csapo followed with his fourth of the game, pushing the lead further. Though CBU managed to respond with a power play goal by Luca Imbriolo, the Lancers could not keep pace. Pepperdine controlled the tempo with strong defensive plays and quick transitions. The Waves closed the quarter up 15-9.
CBU showed some fight early in the fourth, scoring twice within the first two minutes and narrowing the gap to 15-11. It looked like momentum might be shifting, but Pepperdine responded decisively. Thomas Gronna and Riley Rupp scored back-to-back goals to halt the run, and Csapo capped off a standout performance with his fifth goal. Despite a few late scores by CBU, the Waves maintained their composure with a 20-15 win.
Game 9 - San Jose State University vs. University of the Pacific
After winning the sprint, the Spartans capitalized early when Biros struck with a goal at 6:05, setting the tone for a first-quarter surge. Moments later, Mateja Bosic extended the lead on a fast break, finishing off an assist from Maro Tiozzo to make it 2-0. Biros continued to shine, scoring a goal off a block, putting SJSU up 3-0. Then, with just under five minutes remaining, Zach Ramans found the back of the net, and Bosic capped off a dominant period with his second goal. SJSU closed the first frame with a commanding 5-0 lead.
The Tigers found their footing in the second quarter. After Bosic opened the frame with another goal, Rendler got Pacific on the board at 5:32 with a natural goal, cutting the deficit to 6-1. But SJSU answered quickly with another goal. Pacific kept pressing, and Warman capitalized on a 6-on-5 advantage to make it 7-2. However, Tiozzo responded with a counter goal, followed by a penalty shot conversion at 0:34 after Bosic earned the call. At halftime, SJSU had built a 9-2 lead.
SJSU’s Duesund opened, scoring with a goal at 7:12, and Laszlo Szieben added another at 5:43 to make it 11-2. Pacific showed contention, with Norell and Warman finding the back of the net to close the gap to 11-3. The Tigers continued to fight, but Pacific held strong in defense to keep SJSU in control entering the final period.
Pacific mounted a spirited comeback in the fourth. Jonah Martorana and Buzaglo scored back-to-back 6-on-5 goals to cut the deficit to 11-5. Then, a pair of goals from Ethan Braga and Alek Newman made it 11-7. But just when momentum seemed to shift, Szieben scored his second of the night to halt the Tigers' run. Pepperdine put the exclamation point on the win with a late goal at 0:12. Despite a final goal from Nate Rasmussen, the Spartans sealed a 13-8 victory, knocking Pacific out of the bracket.
Game 10 - California vs. USA Junior National Team
The match opened evenly, with both teams exchanging early exclusions and penalties. USA struck first with a penalty conversion from Akerstrom, but Cal quickly responded with a goal by Nikola Mirkovic. The teams continued trading power plays and goals.. As time wound down, Kane Fogg capitalized on another penalty to put USA ahead 3-2.
The second quarter remained tightly contested. USA extended their lead to 4-2 with a counter goal, but Cal responded with multiple goals, tying the game at 4-4. A back-and-forth series of exclusions and missed opportunities followed. Kiefer Black netted a second penalty goal for USA, but Cal tied it again with a 6-on-5 goal by Fuschlin before halftime, sending the teams into the break tied at 5-5.
Cal surged after halftime. Ryder Hagan and Bende Pardi each scored off power plays to give Cal a 7-5 lead. They continued dominating the extra man advantage situations, with Hagan scoring again, followed by Chase Wilson and Szatmary, widening the gap to 10-5. A late penalty conversion by Mirkovic capped a dominant 6-goal run by Cal, closing the quarter with an 11-5 advantage.
USA tried to rally, as Akerstrom scored twice, cutting the lead to 11-8. Sloan Brown added a penalty goal and a late counter to keep hopes alive. Cal maintained control, countering each USA goal with efficient 6-on-5 conversions by Seth Bousfield, Fuschlin, and Piero Arienti. Despite USA’s push, Cal sealed a convincing 14-9 victory.
Game 11 - Stanford vs. California Baptist University
The game began with Stanford winning the opening sprint. CBU struck first at 7:04, putting the Lancers up 1-0. Stanford responded just under two minutes later when Balogh found the back of the net on a counterattack. Stanford kept the momentum going as Forer capitalized on a fast break at 4:22 with another counter goal, giving the Cardinal a 2-1 lead. CBU answered back moments later, converting a penalty. Stanley buried the penalty shot to even the score at 2-2. Despite several turnovers and missed opportunities on both sides, Stanford entered the second quarter up 3-2.
Stanford once again won the sprint to open the second quarter, but the Lancers came out aggressive. Rafa Martinez knotted the game at 3-3 with a goal at 7:35. Soon after, Stanford’s Konstantinos Mathiopoulos converted a 6-on-5 opportunity at 7:19, giving Stanford the lead back at 4-3. CBU responded with a man-up goal of their own from Wyatt Bugbee, tying it again at 4-4. The Cardinal then pulled away with a three-goal run. Though Collin White pulled one back for CBU at 3:43, Stanford answered with two more. The Cardinal defense held firm to close the half, leading 8-6.
Stanford’s dominance continued after winning their third straight sprint. CBU narrowed the margin with goals from White and Paulo Hernandez, but Stanford answered each time. Forer and Zelikov scored back-to-back goals to make it 11-9. A key moment came at 2:01 when Mathiopoulos earned a penalty, and McFarland converted it, extending the lead to 12-9. CBU’s Stanley scored once more, but Chris Arakelian fired in a late quarter goal to push Stanford ahead 13-10 heading into the fourth.
Stanford sealed the deal in the final frame. After a brief standoff, Balogh scored at 6:41 and then converted a 6-on-5 chance at 5:44, stretching the lead to 15-10. CBU's Stanley fought back with a goal, but Stanford stayed composed. Ohl added an extra-man advantage goal at 2:42, and Gavin West delivered a counter at 1:36, making it 17-11. In the closing seconds, Mathiopoulos capped the game with a goal, pushing Stanford to an 18-11 victory.
Championship Game: University of California, Los Angeles vs. Pepperdine
The final matchup of the tournament for the championship was set. The game opened with UCLA winning the sprint and immediately setting an assertive tone. Sherlock drew an early exclusion, leading to Castillo scoring the first goal on a 6-on-5 opportunity. Pepperdine responded quickly with a penalty goal from Dane Howell after Milo Joseph earned the call. The game remained tight as Csapo and Reed Pantaleon each found the back of the net for Pepperdine, pushing them ahead. Despite UCLA's efforts to respond, Pepperdine stayed aggressive. Joseph scored on another power play to close the quarter, giving Pepperdine a narrow 5-4 lead after a fast-paced exchange of goals.
UCLA again opened with the sprint win and quickly tied the game with a goal by Frederico Juca. Sherlock continued his impact, assisting and scoring to push UCLA ahead 6-5. Pepperdine answered with Ionescu’s 6-on-5 goal, but UCLA regained the lead with C. Dodd scoring on a counterattack. The teams continued trading blows, capitalizing on exclusions and assists. Although Csapo cut the lead to 9-10 late in the quarter, UCLA closed the half strong with a man-up goal from Juca, taking a 10-8 lead into halftime.
Pepperdine won their first sprint, but it was UCLA who took control in the third. Liechty and R. Dodd scored early to stretch the lead to 12-8. Ben Larsen added another shortly after, and although Pepperdine managed a penalty goal from Conor Brough, UCLA maintained composure. R. Dodd scored two penalty goals, keeping the Bruins ahead despite Pepperdine's scoring bursts from Ionescu, Csapo, and Joseph. The quarter ended with R. Dodd scoring again after a timeout, maintaining UCLA’s lead at 15-13 in what was becoming a thrilling, back-and-forth contest.
UCLA came out firing again in the fourth, with Liechty scoring his second of the game. Despite a penalty goal from Ionescu trimming the lead, Brinkema and R. Dodd delivered back-to-back goals to create a wider cushion. Then, R. Dodd scored three more goals, stretching the Bruins' lead to 20-14. Pepperdine struggled to match the pace, and although they fought hard and continued earning exclusions and penalties, Joey Kent stood tall in goal. UCLA closed out the game, claiming the championship behind a dominant final stretch and a standout performance from Dodd, resulting in a final score of 21-14.
UCLA came out on top at the Pacific Cup Championship, closing out a competitive and exciting bracket. The tournament featured strong performances across the board from top teams in the nation, making for an unforgettable event. The Pacific Cup concluded the West Coast Conference Men’s Water Polo Championship season for the 2024-2025 year.