LOS ANGELES, Calif. ? The 5th-ranked UC San Diego men's water polo team dropped a 17-7 decision to No. 1 California in the NCAA Final Four on Saturday afternoon in Los Angeles at Burns Recreation and Aquatics Center on the Loyola Marymount campus. The Tritons exchanged goals with the Golden Bears early on before five consecutive Cal goals to open the second quarter opened up the close game. Jesse Casellini scored three times for UCSD, while Adnan Jerkovic added two scores. UCSD will take on Navy at 12:00 p.m. in the National Consolation game on Sunday. USC defeated Navy 20-3 in the other semifinal to advance to the championship against Cal.
The teams would exchange goals in the first quarter as Cal's John Mann scored at 7:28 before UCSD's Steven Donohoe scored on the next possession to tie it. Mann scored his second goal for Cal at 6:33 to put the Bears ahead 2-1. Jesse Casellini then tied the game at 2-2 with a goal at 5:17. Cal then scored the next two goals quickly at 4:28 and 3:42 to take the 4-2 advantage. Nestor Dordoni then put through a goal off a Ty Lackey miss to bring the Tritons within 4-3 at 3:15. Cal tacked on another score at 1:16 as the Golden Bears led 5-3 after the first period.
Cal would pull away in the second quarter with a quick start by scoring the first five goals of the period to take a 10-3 lead. Casellini would net his 62nd goal of the season at 1:41 and Adnan Jerkovic then put in a quick score to pull the Tritons within 10-5 at halftime.
The Golden Bears scored at 6:58 and 1:33 to take a 12-5 lead in the third, before UCSD's Jerkovic netted a goal with 33 seconds remaining as the Tritons trailed 12-6 through three.
Casellini netted his third goal of the game to open the final period, his 63rd of the season. Cal quickly responded with a goal off a penalty shot to lead 13-7. The Golden Bears would tack on several late goals for the 17-7 win.
In the other semifinal, Southern California scored the first nine goals of the game and cruised to a 20-3 win over Navy. USC will try to repeat as national champions as the Trojans improved to 26-1 while the Midshipmen dropped to 24-6.
