Nov. 15, 2009

SANTA CLARA, CALIF. - The No. 2-ranked Cal men's water polo team (20-4), paced by senior captain Spencer Warden's six goals, powered past No. 13 Santa Clara (17-11), 15-4, Sunday, Nov. 15 at Santa Clara's Sullivan Aquatics Center. The Golden Bears have now captured nine matches in a row heading into the Nov. 21 Big Splash at 2 p.m. at Stanford. Sophomores Luka Saponjic, Ivan Rackov and Travis Bickham added two goals apiece for Cal, while freshman goalie Justin Parsons notched eight saves.

Warden, a three-time All-American for the Bears, has now scored 132 career goals in 108 career matches.

The Broncos' Stephen Hobbs scored the first goal of the match at 5:30 in the first period, but Cal scored the next 12 goals, including three in a row by Warden in the first quarter. Hobbs finally ended the Bears' run with a score with 47 seconds left in the third period.

Cal's match against No. 3-ranked Stanford next Saturday is a key MPSF contest for seeding for the MPSF Tournament, Nov. 27-29, in Los Angeles. Of the Bears' four losses this season, three have come in the hands of defending NCAA champion USC (whom Cal upended in the 2006 and 2007 national championship). Cal's other loss was 8-7 to Stanford, Sept. 20 at the NorCal Invite at Stanford. However, the Bears have the distinction of handing the Cardinal one of their two losses on the year, 10-8, in the semifinals of the UCI Invitational Oct. 11. Stanford's other loss was 13-12 in overtime to USC this past Saturday in Los Angeles.

Cal: 5-4-3-3 --- 15
Santa Clara: 1-0-1-2 --- 4

Cal Goals: Spencer Warden 6, Luka Saponjic 2, Ivan Rackov 2, Travis Bickham 2,
Spencer White, Charlie Steffens, Marin Balarin

Santa Clara Goals: Hobbs 2, Zylstra, Case

Cal Saves: Justin Parsons 8

Santa Clara Saves: Winshart 5, Nash 4