Nov. 30, 2009

Complete Release in PDF Format

UCLA (22-6 overall, 5-3 MPSF) won the `09 MPSF Championship this past weekend at USC, defeating No. 5 seed Pepperdine (8-5), No. 1 seed USC (10-6), and No. 3 seed California (10-7) in the title game. Saturday's semifinal win snapped the Trojans' 40-game home win streak. The Bruins previously won two conference championships, in 1999 and 2000. Ben Hohl totaled nine weekend goals. Josh Samuels posted a hat trick against Cal. UCLA is an NCAA Tournament Automatic Bid, facing Loyola Marymount Saturday (Dec. 5) in one semifinal at Princeton, N.J.

CALIFORNIA (22-6 overall, 6-2 MPSF) edged No. 6 seed UC Irvine (6-5) in the first-round, before erasing a five-goal second half deficit against No. 2 Stanford in the semifinal to win 12-11 in overtime. The Bears had trailed 7-2 at half, 8-5 after three, and 11-10 after the first OT session. Luka Saponjic recorded four goals, while Ivan Rackov also chipped in a hat trick against the Cardinal. Goalkeeper Wil Toppen tallied 13 saves in the quarterfinal. The Bears placed second in the MPSF Tournament and finished the year 22-6 overall.

USC (24-2 overall, 8-0 MPSF) placed third with a 9-7 win over No. 2 seed Stanford on Sunday. The Trojans also won their first-round game over No. 8 Pacific, 13-5, as Shea Buckner scored five goals. Buckner also knocked in a hat trick in the semifinal loss. USC attempts to defend its national title as the NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed and at-large pick, meeting the host No. 4 seed Princeton in one semifinal Saturday (Dec. 5).

STANFORD (21-4 overall, 7-1 MPSF) won its opening round game over No. 7 seed UC Santa Barbara, 11-7, as Paul Rudolph delivered four goals. Drac and Janson Wigo each tallied hat tricks in the semifinal loss, while goalkeeper Jimmie Sandman picked up a tournament-high 17 saves. The Cardinal ends the season 21-4 overall.

UC IRVINE (17-12 overall, 3-5 MPSF) won two of three tournament games and finished fifth. The No. 6 Anteaters took out UC Santa Barbara (12-9) on day two, before winning the fifth-place game over No. 5 Pepperdine (14-8). Tom Kruip recorded four goals against the Gauchos. Kyle Kruip and Cole Bielskis each turned in hat tricks vs. the Waves. Tom Kruip totaled seven goals on the weekend. UCI finishes 2009 at 17-12 overall.

PEPPERDINE (13-12 overall, 4-4 MPSF) defeated No. 8 Pacific on day two of the tournament, 12-9, as JP MacDonell tallied three goals. Clayton Snyder also had a hat trick in the quarterfinal loss to UCLA. The Waves end the '09 season 13-12 overall.

UC SANTA BARBARA (13-16 overall, 1-7 MPSF) won the seventh-place game over No. 8 seed Pacific, 20-11. The 20 total goals was a team-high this year.. Zsombor Vincze put away a tournament-high six goals against the Tigers, while Milos Golic added four. Vincze and Golic each recorded hat tricks in the second-round loss to UC Irvine.

PACIFIC (13-18 overall, 1-7 MPSF) fell 13-5 to No. 1 USC, 12-9 to No. 5 Pepperdine, and 20-11 to No. 7 UC Santa Barbara. Joey Gullikson had four goals vs. the Waves. Goran Tomasevic also had four vs. the Trojans, while goalkeeper David Andrus picked up 12 saves in the opening round.