Protecting home court is no simple feat.

Nor is protecting the home pool.

But No. 1 UCLA men’s water polo (10-0) did just that Friday at the Spieker Aquatics Center, besting No. 8 UC Irvine (6-2) 13-7 and Harvard (5-6) 21-10. UCLA followed the two victories with a 19-8 win over No. 12 Pepperdine (5-3) Saturday, continuing the Bruins’ perfect record.

Adding to the win streak did not come without a fight.

“There’s definitely a level of physicality that a bunch of these teams brought,” said sophomore utility Peter Castillo. “It goes to show, coming off of our success last year, … teams are out to get us, and we have a big target on our back. That was seen this weekend. Teams are out to get us.”

And teams were not scared to show that physicality, consistently pressing up on Bruin attackers.

Irvine and Pepperdine boasted 15 and 11 exclusions, respectively. The Anteaters, specifically, held the Bruins to their lowest score of the year, resulting in their smallest margin of victory so far. It was also the first match in which UCLA failed to produce double-digit scorers.

After a 3-0 first quarter on Friday, Irvine brought the halftime deficit to just one before UCLA’s eight second-half goals clinched the victory.

The Bruins’ offense was paced by senior utility Gray Carson’s and sophomore attacker Ryder Dodd’s hat tricks, the first of Carson’s career.

Coach Adam Wright acknowledged Irvine’s stout performance, one that forced UCLA to struggle at the net.

“I do think teams are going to try and present different defenses, try to get us to panic and rush,” Wright said.

However, the offense seemed to bounce back in Friday’s second leg, during which the Bruins found the back of the net 20-plus times, the fifth such performance this season.

However, it was also the second time this season that UCLA gave up double-digit goals.

Redshirt sophomore Nate Tauscher helmed the defense, posting 18 saves across the weekend.

The goalkeeper struggled against the Crimson, allowing four first-half goals and notching just one save before redshirt freshmen Joey Kent and Nick Tovani were subbed in as the second-half goalkeepers.

Tauscher would play the entire match against Pepperdine, allowing just one goal in the first frame before conceding four in the next.

“The energy was obviously good in the first, and we only let up one goal, even though it could have been zero,” Tauscher said. “The energy is what carries this team. When that energy slips, that’s when they’re going to get some goals.”

But defense is a collective effort.

Alongside Tauscher’s eight blocks, four other Bruins had a block against the Waves, including Castillo.

The Bruins also forced 15 turnovers, which contributed to a seven-shot attempt advantage.

“Our communication has been a huge part of our game, and it’s definitely something we’re looking to get better at,” Castillo said. “And that’s for me individually as well – how I communicate specifically on defense.”

Once UCLA forces the ball into its hands, the offense can take over.

The Bruins scored 63.3% of their shot attempts against the Waves, led by Dodd’s and junior utility Ben Liechty’s four apiece, with the former doing so on a perfect clip.

Nine other Bruins joined in the scoring efforts, four of who did not do so on Friday, highlighting the squad’s depth.

“We practice it all the time – different rotations, different lines – as we try to navigate and find the best combinations,” Wright said. “It’ll be different next week. It’s still early in the year, and we’re trying to sort that out.”

And this depth will continue to be tested as other opponents find opportunities to dismantle the Bruins’ throne.

UCLA will face its toughest challenge yet at the MPSF Invitational next weekend, a tournament that will feature some of the highest-ranked teams in the country, including UCLA’s powerhouse conference rivals that make up the next three highest-ranked teams.

“The hard part is we don’t know who we play yet, so we have to be ready for everyone,” Wright said. “It’s an exciting tournament. Sixteen of the top teams will be here. It’s the first time in the year where we can find out a lot about where we are, where we stand in regard to the rest of the country.”