As the clock wound down on the third quarter and the whistle blew, a lone zero stood below the University of Pacific’s name on the scoreboard. Through 24 minutes of game action, they had been completely suffocated by the Bruin defense and rendered scoreless.
With the sun setting over Spieker Aquatics Center, No.2 UCLA (21-1, 4-1 MPSF) defeated the Pacific Tigers (15-6, 5-1 West Coast Conference) 17-2 on Friday night. The Tigers’ previous season low goals scored in a game was seven, a total they sunk far below against an unwavering Bruins effort.
Possession after possession passed, and yet, Pacific simply could not find the back of the net. Bounces ricocheted off the post and the crossbar, skipping over the goal and landing seemingly anywhere but behind goalkeeper Nate Tauscher. The redshirt sophomore recorded a 100% save rate through the initial three quarters, forcing a horrid 0-28 shooting effort from the Tigers.
From the moment Ryder Dodd won the opening sprint, UCLA had complete control over the affair. In the blink of an eye, they were up 3-0, thanks to two goals from Ryder Dodd in the first 1:43 of game action. By the end of the first period, the Bruins had tacked on three more goals, setting the tone for what was to come.
If there were any doubts, they were shut down when UCLA won the 2nd sprint of the night, leading to a quick goal for sophomore Bode Brinkema. By halftime, the score read 10-0 UCLA, and by the end of the third, 14-0.
Finally, mid-way through the 4th quarter, Filip Norell broke the scoreless streak. Pacific’s first goal came with just 5:35 left in the game, by far the longest it had taken them to score an opener all season. Previously, the Tigers had not been shut out through two quarters all season, let alone three.
With the game all but sealed, the Bruins gave opportunities to the young reserves who don’t typically see game action. Harry Tucker, a 19-year-old redshirt freshman from Australia, dove into the pool and scored just his 2nd goal of the season, to a roaring applause from the UCLA bench.
In the end, the 17-2 victory was defined by smothering defense and a relentless 32 minutes of pressure. But offensively, it was the same old story. For the 16th time in 22 games, Ryder Dodd led the team in scoring. Tonight, he recorded five goals, bumping his season total to 78, the highest in the nation.
In their final home game as Bruins, seniors Chase Dodd, Gray Carson and Noah Rowe gave the fans something to cheer for. On the night they were honored, each added a goal of their own.
Next, UCLA is slated for a rematch with USC on Nov. 15, where it will hope to reclaim the nation’s No.1 seed. The Bruins were previously defeated by the Trojans 13-12 back in October.
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Featured Image Photographed by Janwayne Orme/BruinLife
