DAVIS, California  – No. 14 Harvard men's water polo fell to No. 2 UCLA 16-15 in the Crimson's first game of the Aggie Round Up. 
 
The back-and-forth game saw James Rozolis-Hill score five times while Gabe Putnam and Owen Hale both scored twice. Alexandru Bucur notched his first of the season early in the first quarter. 
 

Harvard Highlights

• James Rozolis-Hill continued his dominant start as he recorded his fourth hat trick in five games. His performance in game one brings his total up to 20 goals in five games.  
• Owen Hale had two goals and an assist in the game. 
• Assist leader Michael Sonsini recorded another two helpers while also finding the back of the net once. 
• Mot Stothart scored a highlight reel goal while also tallying two assists. 
• Alex Tsotadze was all over the score sheet with a goal an assist and two penalties drawn.   
• In his first game of the season Alexandru Bucur scored a goal and tallied two assists. 
• Noah Hodge recorded nine saves. 
• Gabe Putnam scored twice, including one on a no-look shot late in the fourth quarter.

  Worth a second look ??
  
  What a move and what a shot from Gabe Putnam????#GoCrimson | #OneCrimson https://t.co/EbKFN0leT8 pic.twitter.com/JXrhvXI8IW

  — Harvard Water Polo (@HarvardH2OPolo) September 18, 2022

 

How it happened

• The score was tied after the first quarter at 5-5.
• Harvard outscored UCLA 5-2 in the second quarter.
• At one point the Crimson scored five of six goals in the second quarter with goals from Stothart, Rozolis-Hill, Archer, Putnam, and Hale. 
• UCLA outscored the Crimson 6-2 in the third quarter. 
• Both teams scored three times in the final frame.
• There were 11 lead changes in the game. 

Next Up

Harvard plays Occidental College tonight at 10:15 p.m. ET before two more games on Sunday.