LOS ANGELES – The eighth-ranked UC Irvine men's water polo team was dealt its first loss of the season, falling to No. 1 UCLA, 13-7, Friday afternoon at Spieker Aquatics Center.
 
The Anteaters (6-1) held the defending national champion Bruins to a season-low in goals scored.
 
UCLA (8-0) raced out to an early 3-0 lead, but UCI responded in the second quarter where it held a 4-2 advantage to cut the deficit to one at the half. The Bruins then took control over the final 16 minutes where they outscored the 'Eaters, 8-3.
 
BY THE NUMBERS: Junior Johann Thrall and senior Luka Krstic tied for the team lead with two goals apiece. Junior Alex Lopez, senior Jasper Dale, and senior Jack Stevens also found the back of the net. Goalkeeper Zayd Mahmoud tied his season high with nine saves.
 
UCI held 2024 Peter J. Cutino Award winner and ACWPC Player of the Year Ryder Dodd scoreless for nearly 23 minutes before he struck with 1:05 left in the third. Dodd finished with a hat trick as he tacked on two more in the fourth quarter. Gray Carson matched Dodd with three tallies. Goalkeeper Nate Tauscher recorded 10 saves.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: In the first quarter, UC Irvine was unable to break through UCLA's stingy defense, which entered today's contest allowing just 6.6 goals per game. The Bruins finally got on the board at the 4:10 mark and added two more tallies including one with two seconds on the clock to take a 3-0 lead.
 
UCLA struck first in the second period to increase its cushion to four before Dale opened the scoring for the Anteaters with 6:31 remaining. UCI's defense held strong, while Krstic converted a penalty goal and Thrall followed with a steal and breakaway to close the gap to 4-3 with 2:29 to play. The Bruins then ended a six-minute scoring drought, but Thrall struck again in the final seconds to keep the 'Eaters within one (5-4) at the break.
 
UCLA scored twice to start the third frame. Another penalty goal from Krstic brought UC Irvine back within two, but the Bruins broke it open as they struck three times in the final three minutes to pull ahead, 10-5.
 
Stevens kicked off the scoring in the fourth and Lopez also found the back of the cage in the final minute, but UCLA had three tallies in between to account for the 13-7 final.
 
UP NEXT: UC Irvine returns to Anteater Aquatics Complex tomorrow (Saturday, Sept. 13) to host No. 2 USC at 1 p.m.
 
NOTES
• UC Irvine was held to single-digit goals for the first time in 2025.
• Luka Krstic had his third multi-goal game of the year.
• Krstic is now tied with Cole Francisco for the team lead with 12 goals.
• This is the first time the Anteaters haven't had a player record a hat trick in a game this season.
 
 
#1 UCLA 13, #8 UC Irvine 7
September 12, 2025  |  Spieker Aquatics Center (Los Angeles, Calif.)

UCI         0 – 4 – 1 – 2 = 7
UCLA      3 – 2 – 5 – 3 = 13

SCORING:
UCI – Luka Krstic 2, Johann Thrall 2, Alex Lopez 1, Jasper Dale 1, Jack Stevens 1

UCLA – Gray Carson 3, Ryder Dodd 3, Noah Rowe 2, Wade Sherlock 2, Ben Larsen 1, Ben Liechty 1, Chase Dodd 1

SAVES:
UCI – Zayd Mahmoud 9
 
UCLA – Nate Taushcer 10