IRVINE, Calif. — The No. 13-ranked UC Irvine men’s water polo team is gearing up for a challenging weekend with two games against the nation’s top teams. On Friday, Sept. 11, the Anteaters will host No. 1 UCLA at 2 p.m. at the Anteater Aquatics Complex before traveling to Los Angeles to face No. 2 USC on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 1 p.m.
UC Irvine enters the weekend riding a five-game winning streak, including a flawless 4-0 performance at the Inland Empire Classic. Senior attacker Gage Verdegaal leads the team offensively this season with 22 points, comprised of 14 goals and eight assists. Senior center Wyley Dale has also been key, tallying 15 goals and two assists. The Anteaters have scored 12 or more goals in each of their first eight contests, averaging 16.1 goals per game.
The Anteaters have enjoyed recent success in the Big West Conference, capturing back-to-back regular-season titles in 2023 and 2024, as well as making their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 30 years during the 2023 season. However, UC Irvine has faced defeats in previous matchups with both UCLA and USC, falling to the Bruins 13-7 in 2025 and 12-9 in 2024, and losing to the Trojans 13-8 in 2025 and 15-11 in 2024.
Freshman goalkeeper Nico Assalian has been a standout in net, recording 47 saves and multiple steals over the season’s first eight games. UC Irvine looks to maintain its offensive momentum and strong defense against these top-ranked national opponents during this pivotal weekend.
CSB Take
UC Irvine’s upcoming matchups against the top two nationally ranked programs, UCLA and USC, present a significant test for the Anteaters as they seek to establish themselves as contenders on the national stage. The combination of strong offensive production led by senior Gage Verdegaal and improvements in goalkeeping set the stage for a potentially competitive showing. These games will be crucial in measuring UC Irvine’s progress this season and could have implications for their positioning within the Big West Conference and national rankings moving forward.
Source: Original report
