Box Score

MALIBU, Calif. -- The No. 9-ranked Pepperdine men's water polo team took on UCLA on Friday in the team's first MPSF game, falling to the top-ranked Bruins, 18-8. The Waves dropped to an even 6-6 overall and 0-1 MPSF with the loss.

The Bruins jumped out to a 7-1 lead in the first quarter, with Ryder Roberts scoring four of those seven goals. The lone Pepperdine goal was scored by Wesley Sherburne (Newport Beach, Calif.//Corona del Mar HS) in the opening period.

The second quarter was more evenly fought, with the Waves scoring three goals, and the Bruins scoring four. Sherburne added another, with Kenneth Keller (Long Beach, Calif.//Los Alamitos HS) and Mark Urban (Budapest, Hungary//Diablo College) each netting a goal of their own. Going into the half, the Bruins led 11-4.

In the third quarter, the Waves scored four times, led by Marko Asic (Laguna Niguel, Calif.//Dana Hills HS) with two goals, one coming on a penalty shot. Keller and Brock Leibhardt (Fremont, Calif.//Washington HS) also added goals of their own. The Bruins had five goals, to end the third period, leading the Waves 16-8.

The game came to a close in the final quarter with UCLA scoring twice, while holding the Waves to zero goals. Ryder Roberts led all scorers with seven goals on the day. Waves' goalkeeper Zack Rhodes (Palm Desert, Calif.//Palm Desert HS) had eight saves on the day, while the keeper for the Bruins, Garret Danner, had nine.

The Waves continue MPSF play against the Spartans of San Jose State on Saturday at noon in Malibu.

(Copy by undergraduate intern Ricky Davis)

No. 1 UCLA def. No. 9 Pepperdine, 18-8
UCLA--7--4--5--2
PEP--1--3--4--0

UCLA Scoring: Roberts 7, Irving 3, Roelse 3, Dahoub 2, Farrar, Fuentes, Marshall
PEP Scoring: Asic 2, Keller 2, Sherburne 2, Leibhardt, Urban

UCLA Saves: Danner 9
PEP Saves: Rhodes 8