The NCAA News - News and Features

December 15, 1997

Pepperdine claims first water polo championship

Whoever coined the phrase "It's not how you start, but how you finish" was only half right.

Tapping into a reservoir of confidence and experience gained from its early-season success, Pepperdine outlasted Southern California in its final game of the year to win the National Collegiate Men's Water Polo Championship December 7 at Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Andy Bruininga scored with 44 seconds remaining in the second three-minute overtime period to lift the Waves to their first NCAA title.

Pepperdine, the championship's No. 2 seed, finished the season with a 25-3 record. The Waves' previous best championship finish was a third-place showing in 1991.

"Confidence took over in the overtime," Pepperdine coach Terry Schroeder said. "We had great team chemistry all year. Starting from the beginning of the year, we were No. 4, and at the first tournament (the Southern California Tournament), we upset the Nos. 1, 2 and 3 teams in the country. We stepped up and answered every challenge."

Southern California, the championship's No. 1 seed, finished as runner-up for the second consecutive year and fourth time in the last five years.

The Trojans, who are still seeking their first water polo crown, finished the season with a 21-7 record.

Queens (New York), competing in its first championship, defeated UC Davis, 5-3, in the third-place game.

Bruininga propelled the Waves into the history books when he took a pass from junior Jeremy Pope -- one of three Waves to share championship most-valuable-player honors -- and beat Trojans goaltender Richard McEvoy for his only goal of the tournament.

"We never expected overtime. But in the end we trusted our talents to show through over emotions," Bruininga said. "In the last two minutes I was thinking, 'We need this champion ship.' We've wanted it for Schro (coach Terry Schroeder), and he's been waiting for it a long time.

"Scoring the winning goal was neat, but I also want to acknowledge and reward the great pass from Jeremy Pope. It was our team that did it."

Bruininga's goal spoiled a comeback by Southern California that saw the Trojans knot the score, 7-7, on a goal by James Castle with 1:23 seconds remaining in the second overtime.

Southern California forced the championship game into overtime by scoring two goals in the final 2:29 of regulation -- the second goal by Simun Cimerman with only eight seconds remaining.

"Our kids did a great job today," Southern California coach John Williams said. "Our comeback in the fourth quarter showed our character.

"We're disappointed to lose it in the second quarter. Sometimes the ball goes funny ways and that's what happened today. In the fourth quarter, we did a good job on our 5-on-6 defense, but they snuck it in.

"Don't take anything away from Pepperdine. They're a good team and very talented. We're the only team who was able to stay with them and that says a lot about our program."

In the third-place game, Queens scored four unanswered goals for the victory. John Vasek scored twice for Queens, which finished the season at 26-6.

First-team all-tournament selections from Pepperdine were goaltender Merrill Moses and field players Alan Herrmann and Pope. Also named were field players Cimerman and Marko Pintaric of Southern California, Vasek of Queens and Mike Gottelli of UC Davis. Moses and Herrmann joined Pope as most valuable players.

Second-team selections included McEvoy, Castle and Mateo Juric of Southern California; Jack Kocur of Pepperdine; Andre Doria and Horatiu Tocan of Queens; and Joel Higgins of UC Davis.

SEMIFINALS

Queens (N.Y.) -- 1 -- 2 -- 2 -- 1 -- 6

Southern Cal -- 3 -- 3 -- 5 -- 3 -- 14

Queens (N.Y.) goals -- Andre Doria 2, Derek Ellingson, Horatiu Tocan, John Vasek. Two-point goals -- Ellingson.

Southern Cal goals -- Luke Daniels 3, Mateo Juric 3, James Castle 2, Simun Cimerman 2, Allen Basso, Marko Pintaric, Sean Stuart. Two-point goals -- Cimerman.

UC Davis -- 1 -- 0 -- 1 -- 6 -- 8

Pepperdine -- 1 -- 5 -- 2 -- 5 -- 13

UC Davis goals -- Kevin Loscotoff 3, Mike Gottelli 2, Chris Hagans 2, Tom Cuadros. Two-point goals -- None.

Pepperdine goals -- Jeremy Pope 4, Jack Kocur 3, Todd King 2, Alan Herrmann, Alex Rodriguez, Chris Tilden. Two-point goals -- Pope.

THIRD PLACE

UC Davis -- 2 -- 0 -- 0 -- 1 -- 3

Queens (N.Y.) -- 1 -- 2 -- 1 -- 1 -- 5

UC Davis goals -- Mike Gottelli 2, Joel Higgins. Two-point goals -- None.

Queens (N.Y.) goals -- John Vasek 2, Andre Doria, Justin Link, Kyle Montgomery. Two-point goals -- None.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Southern Cal -- 0 -- 2 -- 2 -- 2 -- 0 -- 1 -- 7

Pepperdine -- 0 -- 3 -- 3 -- 0 -- 1 -- 1 -- 8

Southern Cal goals -- Marko Pintaric 3, James Castle, Simun Cimerman, Luke Daniels, Mateo Juric. Two-point goals -- None.

Pepperdine goals -- Jeremy Pope 2, Andy Bruininga, Alan Herrmann, Christian Jensen, Todd King, Brian McAllister, Chris Tilden. Two-point goals -- None.