PRINCETON, N.J. — Bucknell University fell by a 24-10 score to defending National Champion/No. 1-ranked the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) in the Bison’s first action at the 2025 Princeton Invitational hosted by Princeton University. The Orange & Blue kept the game competitive in the first quarter but a massive second quarter propelled the top-ranked Bruins to the victory.
The Bruins entered having decisively defeated three ranked opponents at the Princeton Invite, including Bucknell’s Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) rival No. 4 Fordham University, by an average margin of 16 goals. Bucknell’s 14-goal loss represented a solid performance against a team many experts in the men’s water polo world consider a candidate for undefeated honors.
Aleksa Stefanovic demonstrated why he rated All-America Honorable Mention the last three seasons, scoring a game-high five goals. UCLA had 15 different players tally goals, a testament to the squad’s depth and quality.
Stefanovic opened the scoring and tied the game after UCLA forged ahead 2-1. Jack Murad knotted the score at 3-3, but UCLA ended the quarter on a 2-0 run.
The 2-0 run extended into a 10-0 stretch, as part of UCLA’s 8-0 second quarter. The Bison had no answer for UCLA’s expansive and devastating offensive and defensive combinations.
The third quarter was played on more even terms with the Bruins only outscoring the Bison 4-3. Jack Dillane and Ori Raz joined Stefanovic in finding the cage.
Stefanovic tallied two goals, while Kai Johnson and Murad both added one, but the Bruins coasted to the win with seven more cage-finders in the closing minutes of the game.
Release courtesy Bucknell University Athletics Communications
