SportsScope : Bruin Water Polo Team, Best in U.S., Will Battle Trojans

The nationally top-ranked and sizzling UCLA water polo team (16-0) will open Pacific 10 Conference play at 10 a.m. Saturday at No. 4 USC (9-3).

Last week the Bruins captured the championship of the NorCal Tournament, defeating No. 2 California, 5-4, in the final. In other tourney matches, UCLA defeated No. 3 Stanford, 6-3; Cal State Los Angeles, 14-1, and Fresno State, 11-6.

UCLA is led by senior Fernando Carsalade, a three-time All-American and a defensive specialist; junior All-American Alexis Rousseau and senior Hank Peterson. Rousseau leads the Bruins with 39 goals and Peterson has scored 38.

Roy Knickman, a cyclist on the 1984 U.S. Olympic team, is defending champion in the second annual Kern’s international cycling road race, a 150-kilometer race from Pepperdine University in Malibu to Griffith Park that starts at 8 a.m. Sunday.

Other riders include 1988 U.S. Olympians Scott McKinley, Craig Schommer, David Brinton, Andy Paulin and Tony Palmer; Davis Phinney, a stage winner in the recent Tour de France and a winner of the 1988 Coors championship, and Alex Grewal, a gold medalist in the men’s road race at the 1984 Olympics.

The race has a $15,000 purse. The course is over Pacific Coast Highway to Mulholland Highway, through the Santa Monica Mountains to the San Fernando Valley and into Griffith Park.

Events at the park include a 5-kilometer run, criterium bicycle races, a health and fitness exposition and entertainment. Actors Linda Evans and John Forsythe are hosts.