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California overcomes southern rival for water polo crown
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The NCAA News
After losing to conference rival Southern California three of four times this season, California’s men’s water polo team found a way to win when it counted most — the national championship game. The Golden Bears won the 2006 National Collegiate Men’s Water Polo Championship in dramatic fashion December 3 — on a last-second shot that lifted them over the defending national champion Trojans, 7-6.
California also beat Southern California in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championship game, another one-goal victory for the Bears.
California coach Kirk Everist credited his five seniors with providing the leadership that made the victory possible.
“They taught this team how to be a team,” he said. “They have done a great job of restoring the Cal tradition. I am so proud of these guys, and now they know what it feels like to have that championship ring.”
The title is California’s 12th overall but first since 1992.
A back-and-forth struggle characterized the largely defensive game, and both goaltenders defended their nets well. The score was knotted at one after the first period. The Trojans held a two-goal lead at halftime, but California scored four unanswered goals to gain its own two-goal advantage.
A Southern California rally tied the game at six in the fourth period, with the tying goal coming from Thomas Hale with 1.78 seconds to go. With overtime seeming certain, the Golden Bears inbounded to Spencer Warden, who threw to Jeff Tyrell for the winning shot that was deflected by a Trojan defender before hitting the top right corner of the goal.
“It was a fun match to watch; our guys played so hard,” Everist said. “It was our defense that did it. We talk about defense all the time. We were able to outscore them 5-2 in the second half. They were 2-for-11 in 6-on-5 situations. That shows we had some pretty special (defense).”
Southern California head coach Jovan Vavic praised his team for fighting until the very end.
“I give credit to Berkeley,” Vavic said. “Both teams struggled with extra-man opportunities, and sometimes in sports a game is decided by the team with the ball at the end. We had a great season, and we battled until the last second.”
California’s Mark Sheredy (goaltender), John Mann, Brian Kinsel and Andija Vasiljevic were named to the all-tournament team. Hale, Juan Delgadillo and Tommy Corcoran from Southern California also received all-tournament honors. The Golden Bears finished the season 31-4, and the Trojans were 26-2.
UC San Diego won the third-place game over Navy, 12-8.
Semifinals
Navy 0 2 1 0 — 3
Southern California 7 5 4 4 — 20
Navy scoring: Tyler Hill 2, Todd Carlson.
Southern California scoring: Juan Delgadillo 4, Tommy Corcoran 3, Matt Sagehorn 3, Drew Vyn 2, J.W. Krumpholz 2, Arian Ligtenberg 2, Pavol Valovic 1, Joran Vranes 1, Matt Norris 1, Nico Sardo 1.
Saves: Navy (George Naughton 5, Stever Craney 3) 8; Southern California (Adam Schilling 9, Ben Weil 4) 13.
UC San Diego 3 2 1 1 — 7
California 5 5 2 5 — 17
UC San Diego scoring: Jesse Casellini 3, Adnan Jerkovic 2, Nestor Dordoni 1, Steven Donohoe 1.
California scoring: Brian Bacharach 3, John Mann 3, Brian Kinsel 3, Andrija Vasiljevic 3, Adam Haley 1, Kevin Platshon 1, Frank Reynolds 1, Trent Calder 1, Zac Monsees 1.
Saves: UC San Diego (Jeremy Randall) 3; California (Mark Sheredy) 8.
Third-place game
Navy 2 3 1 2 — 8
UC San Diego 3 4 3 2 — 12
Navy scoring: Bram Arnold 2, Aaron Recko 2, Tyler Hill 2, Andrew Plumb 1, Mike Mulvey 1.
UC San Diego scoring: Ty Lackey 5, Nestor Dordoni 3, A.J. Kotanjian 2, Daniel Garcia 1, Jesse Casellini 1.
Saves: Navy (George Naughton 1, Steve Craney 5) 6; UC San Diego (Jeremy Randall) 12.
Championship game
Southern California 1 3 0 2 — 6
California 1 1 3 2 — 7
Southern California scoring: Juan Delgadillo 2, Tommy Corcoran 1, Gabor Sarusi 1, J.W. Krumpholz 1.
California scoring: Brian Bacharach 2, Marty Matthies 1, Spencer Warden 1, John Mann 1, Frank Reynolds 1, Jeff Tyrell 1.
Saves: Southern California (Adam Shilling) 7, California (Mark Sheredy) 12.
California also beat Southern California in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championship game, another one-goal victory for the Bears.
California coach Kirk Everist credited his five seniors with providing the leadership that made the victory possible.
“They taught this team how to be a team,” he said. “They have done a great job of restoring the Cal tradition. I am so proud of these guys, and now they know what it feels like to have that championship ring.”
The title is California’s 12th overall but first since 1992.
A back-and-forth struggle characterized the largely defensive game, and both goaltenders defended their nets well. The score was knotted at one after the first period. The Trojans held a two-goal lead at halftime, but California scored four unanswered goals to gain its own two-goal advantage.
A Southern California rally tied the game at six in the fourth period, with the tying goal coming from Thomas Hale with 1.78 seconds to go. With overtime seeming certain, the Golden Bears inbounded to Spencer Warden, who threw to Jeff Tyrell for the winning shot that was deflected by a Trojan defender before hitting the top right corner of the goal.
“It was a fun match to watch; our guys played so hard,” Everist said. “It was our defense that did it. We talk about defense all the time. We were able to outscore them 5-2 in the second half. They were 2-for-11 in 6-on-5 situations. That shows we had some pretty special (defense).”
Southern California head coach Jovan Vavic praised his team for fighting until the very end.
“I give credit to Berkeley,” Vavic said. “Both teams struggled with extra-man opportunities, and sometimes in sports a game is decided by the team with the ball at the end. We had a great season, and we battled until the last second.”
California’s Mark Sheredy (goaltender), John Mann, Brian Kinsel and Andija Vasiljevic were named to the all-tournament team. Hale, Juan Delgadillo and Tommy Corcoran from Southern California also received all-tournament honors. The Golden Bears finished the season 31-4, and the Trojans were 26-2.
UC San Diego won the third-place game over Navy, 12-8.
Semifinals
Navy 0 2 1 0 — 3
Southern California 7 5 4 4 — 20
Navy scoring: Tyler Hill 2, Todd Carlson.
Southern California scoring: Juan Delgadillo 4, Tommy Corcoran 3, Matt Sagehorn 3, Drew Vyn 2, J.W. Krumpholz 2, Arian Ligtenberg 2, Pavol Valovic 1, Joran Vranes 1, Matt Norris 1, Nico Sardo 1.
Saves: Navy (George Naughton 5, Stever Craney 3) 8; Southern California (Adam Schilling 9, Ben Weil 4) 13.
UC San Diego 3 2 1 1 — 7
California 5 5 2 5 — 17
UC San Diego scoring: Jesse Casellini 3, Adnan Jerkovic 2, Nestor Dordoni 1, Steven Donohoe 1.
California scoring: Brian Bacharach 3, John Mann 3, Brian Kinsel 3, Andrija Vasiljevic 3, Adam Haley 1, Kevin Platshon 1, Frank Reynolds 1, Trent Calder 1, Zac Monsees 1.
Saves: UC San Diego (Jeremy Randall) 3; California (Mark Sheredy) 8.
Third-place game
Navy 2 3 1 2 — 8
UC San Diego 3 4 3 2 — 12
Navy scoring: Bram Arnold 2, Aaron Recko 2, Tyler Hill 2, Andrew Plumb 1, Mike Mulvey 1.
UC San Diego scoring: Ty Lackey 5, Nestor Dordoni 3, A.J. Kotanjian 2, Daniel Garcia 1, Jesse Casellini 1.
Saves: Navy (George Naughton 1, Steve Craney 5) 6; UC San Diego (Jeremy Randall) 12.
Championship game
Southern California 1 3 0 2 — 6
California 1 1 3 2 — 7
Southern California scoring: Juan Delgadillo 2, Tommy Corcoran 1, Gabor Sarusi 1, J.W. Krumpholz 1.
California scoring: Brian Bacharach 2, Marty Matthies 1, Spencer Warden 1, John Mann 1, Frank Reynolds 1, Jeff Tyrell 1.
Saves: Southern California (Adam Shilling) 7, California (Mark Sheredy) 12.
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