The fate of an entire season rested within the bounds of six minutes. Senior attacker Makoto Kenney pump-faked a shot from the center of the pool but instead passed to MPSF Player of the Year, Rafael Real Vergara.
The Bruins had the chance to relight the spark of their undefeated season but ultimately failed to exit the loss column. “We can really see that if we don’t play the right way and play the way we need to, the result that shows,” said senior goalkeeper Garret Griggs.
Under ordinary circumstances, a team that has already clinched the top seed in its conference tournament could see the final game of the regular season as a formality.
Almost every great story has a dynamic duo. Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. Tom Brady and Julian Edelman. No. 1 UCLA men’s water polo has a pair of its own: attackers Jack Larsen and Rafael Real Vergara.