UCLA Goes to Wellen, Edges Stanford in Water Polo Final

Blake Wellen scored with one second left in overtime to give top-seeded UCLA a 12-11 victory over second-seeded Stanford in the championship final of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation men’s water polo championships at UC Irvine Sunday.

With 25 seconds remaining and UCLA up a man after the ejection of Stanford’s Michael Lipinski, Bruin Coach Guy Baker called timeout with the score tied, 11-11.

UCLA tried to spread out the Stanford defense, but couldn’t find an opening to drive on the Cardinal.

As the clock ticked down, former San Clemente High standout Andrew Bailey spotted Wellen, who had fought his way open at two meters. With a quick flick, Bailey passed to Wellen, who popped the ball in the net. Wellen also had tied the score with 57 seconds left in overtime.

“It was great to score the tying goal, but to also score the winning goal . . . I really don’t know what to say,” Wellen said.

The victory gave the Bruins a berth in the four-team NCAA tournament, which will be held Friday and Saturday at UC San Diego. Massachusetts, champion of the Collegiate Water Polo Assn., and UC San Diego, champion of the Western Water Polo Assn., also have qualified for the tournament.

Stanford is expected to receive the at-large berth.

“It seemed like a perfect end,” Baker said. “The No. 1 seed and No. 2 going at it for the title and to win in the last second, it was a fitting end.”

It was the first conference title since 1975 for the Bruins (20-3), who won back-to-back NCAA titles in 1995 and 1996.

The lead changed eight times in Sunday’s game. UCLA’s Bailey scored a two-point goal, followed by a goal by former Brea Olinda standout Matt Flesher that gave the Bruins a 4-2 first-quarter lead.

But Stanford shut down UCLA in the second quarter and the Cardinal took a 6-4 lead on goals by Jeff Nesmith (a two-pointer), Lipinski and Peter Hudnut.

Sean Kern led the Bruins in the third quarter, scoring two goals, and Adam Wright and Wellen each added one to give UCLA an 8-7 lead going into the fourth.

Stanford went up, 9-8, on goals by Jonathan Skaalen and Sean Joy in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter, but Kern scored his third goal to tie it.

Stanford (21-5) took its last lead on a penalty shot by former Servite player Brian Heifferon at 3:49.

UCLA’s Jeff Pflueger, a former Foothill star, tied it, 10-10, with 1:21 left in regulation.