Oct. 8, 2011

LONG BEACH, CALIF. -

Led by three goals apiece from the Saponjic brothers - senior Luka and freshman Aleksa - No. 2-ranked Cal (13-2, 2-0) powered past No. 14 Long Beach State, 14-6, Saturday afternoon (Oct. 8) in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation match at the Long Beach State Campus Pool. The Golden Bears jumped out to a 5-1 first quarter lead and never looked back, scoring three goals in each of the next three periods to win their 10th straight MPSF match carrying over from last season.

Aleksa Saponjic got the Bears on the board in the second minute of the match and struck again at 4:08 left in the opening period. The floodgates then opened, as Cal scored three straight goals - two by sophomore Collin Smith and one by Luka Saponjic - to take a 5-0 lead before the 49ers' Nick Rascon snuck in a goal just before the end of the period.

Other goal scorers for the Bears included freshman Luka Ivanovic with two goals, while senior Ivan Rackov, senior Charlie Steffens and sophomores Perry Short and Hunter Gettelfinger scored as well. Junior goalie Justin Parsons finished with 10 saves.

"This was a solid effort for us today," said Cal coach Kirk Everist, whose squad defeated former Bear All-American and Everist's Olympic teammate Gavin Arroyo's Long Beach State team. "Coming back on short rest from the night game Friday at UCLA wasn't easy, but the guys came out focused."

The Bears will next travel to UC San Diego for a non-league match on Sunday, Oct. 9 at 12 p.m. at the Tritons' Canyonview Aquatic Center.

CAL 5 3 3 3 - 14

LBS 1 1 2 2 - 6

Goals CAL: Aleksa Saponjic 3, Luka Saponjic 3, Collin Smith 2, Luka Ivanovic 2, Ivan Rackov, Charlie Steffens, Perry Short, Hunter Gettelfinger

LBS: Matulis 2, Rascon 2, Robinson, Mefford

Goalkeeper Saves

CAL: Justin Parsons 10

LBS: Kubeck 2, Mroch 2