STANFORD, Calif. — Frederico Jucá Carsalade scored with one second left to cap a four-goal fourth quarter, and UCLA rallied to beat USC 11-10 and win the men's water polo championship Sunday at the Avery Aquatic Center.
It was the 14th championship for the second-seeded and defending champion Bruins (27-2), winning consecutive titles for the fifth time.
USC (23-4), the top seed, was seeking its 11th title, all since 1998, in a tournament that began in 1969. The Trojans won six in a row from 2008-2013.
Chase Dodd scored twice to help UCLA take a 3-1 lead after the first quarter.
Stefan Branovic added his second goal to cut the score to 3-2 and Jack Vort scored twice in a four-goal streak in the final 4:41 to give the Trojans a 6-4 halftime lead.
USC twice took a two-goal lead in the third quarter on goals from Vort and Efe Naipoglu, but Jucá Carsalade scored with 31 seconds left to make it 8-7.
Ryder Dodd scored back-to-back goals, the first coming after a penalty on Vort, and the Bruins led 10-9 with 2:35 left. Jack Martin scored with a man advantage as USC tied the score 32 seconds later.
The two teams split four games this season.
UCLA beat Stanford 9-7 in the semifinals and USC beat Fordham 16-7 to advance.
UCLA beat USC 11-8 to win the championship last season after Cal beat the Bruins 13-11 in the title game the year before. Cal beat USC 13-12 in 2021 and 2022 to win the championship.
