CORONADO, Calif. — The No. 20-ranked United States Naval Academy water polo team dropped a 20-8 decision to defending National Champion/No. 1 the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) at Coronado High School in Coronado, Calif. The Midshipmen received a three-goal performance by Kiefer Black.
“Tonight was good to show us where we are as a team,” said head coach Luis Nicolao. “UCLA is the defending national champions and the top ranked team. If we want to take the next step and be one of the top teams in the country, we have to play tough teams like this and continue to grow as a program.”
Black led the offense with three goals, marking his first hat trick of the season and the 30th of his collegiate career. The three goals give Black 165 career goals. Through two full seasons and one game, he is 21 goals back of tying David Kaye (1982-85) for 10th most in program history with 186. Additionally, Black now has 299 career points and is one point back of becoming the seventh player in program history with 300 or more points.
“Kiefer did an outstanding job,” Nicolao said of his All-America athlete. “He was able to play with some of these guys during the summer as part of Team USA. I think that gave him some added confidence that he could play at the same level as some of the best in the country. For him to get a hat trick against this caliber of team is huge and will only help him improve as the season progresses.”
Five additional Midshipmen found the back of the net for Navy, including three Mids notching their first collegiate goals. Sophomore Quinn Bartlett and junior Aiden Day posted their first scores of the season, while freshmen Aiden Berry, James Mulvey and Jack Reif recorded their first collegiate scores.
“I am proud of the way the guys played tonight,” added Nicolao. “We had a lot of young guys playing their first collegiate game. I think they did a good job of shaking off the nerves and some of them were able to score their first goals.”
At goalkeeper, Ryan Munch saw a majority of minutes between the posts, while Jack Hightower entered the game in relief. Munch finished the game with eight saves and a pair of steals in three quarters of play. He gave way to Hightower who added a stop in the final eight minutes.
In the first quarter, the reigning national champions jumped out to an early 5-1 lead. The Mids used a goal from Bartlett to briefly knot the game at one-all, but the Bruins ended the quarter with four straight goals. The designated home team continued the scoring with four additional goals before Berry ended the run with his first collegiate goal, sending the game into halftime with UCLA in front, 9-2.
The two teams combined for 10 goals in the third quarter. UCLA used a slight 6-4 advantage to extend its advantage to 15-6. Black scored his first two goals of the season in the third, while Mulvey netted his first collegiate goals. Day capped the scoring for the Midshipmen in the frame by converting a five-meter attempt. Navy added a pair of goals in the fourth quarter with UCLA pushing its advantage with five scores. Black completed his hat trick, while Reif registered his first tally of his Midshipmen career.
Release courtesy United States Naval Academy Athletics Communications
