This post was updated Nov. 5 at 12:42 a.m.

True champions are not defined by their losses but by how they respond to such setbacks.

And UCLA has faced a defeat of its own, with a loss to crosstown rival and then-No. 3 USC on Oct. 18 – its first in 2025.

But No. 2 UCLA men’s water polo (20-1, 4-1 MPSF) rallied with two weekend victories – defeating No. 3 Stanford (12-6, 1-4) Saturday before trouncing No. 4 California (14-5, 1-4) Sunday at Spieker Aquatics Center. The Bruins are now 3-0 against both conference rivals this season after capturing a 13-12 sudden-death victory against the Cardinal and an 18-12 triumph against the Golden Bears over the weekend.

But UCLA’s victories did not come without strain.

In their third matchup against the Cardinal, the Bruins trailed entering the fourth quarter, forfeiting five points in the second quarter that transformed into a one-score Cardinal advantage before Saturday’s final frame.

“For me, it’s a great win to find a way to win when you’re not at your best,” said coach Adam Wright. “They got to dig deep for those situations, and they found a way. So credit to the guys, but we’ve got to be sharper. We’ve been working hard, and this film will serve us well, but there are a lot of things we have to clean up.”

Much of what has made Stanford so challenging is its staunch defense.

Team-leading scorer and sophomore attacker Ryder Dodd posted just two goals in two of his three performances against the Cardinal in 2025, and he recorded his season-low 0.200 goal percentage Saturday. The Bruins were held to a sub-0.300 shot percentage, winning by just one point despite notching 10 more shots than the Cardinal.

Stanford has held opponents to an average of 10.6 goals per game this season, and goalkeeper West Temkin, who ranks fifth in the MPSF with 124 saves, leads the defensive arsenal.

“Stanford was trying to limit me as much as possible by pressing me whenever they could,” Dodd said. “I think that’s a good thing, letting my teammates capitalize on their decisions.”

And Dodd’s teammates capitalize when the attacker draws defensive attention.

Redshirt junior attacker Frederico Jucá Carsalade led the Bruins on Saturday with three goals, tying his season high. The contest became deadlocked at 11 following Carsalade’s goal to open the fourth quarter and both of Dodd’s scores in the final frame. But neither team scored throughout the remaining 3:49 of regulation and the first overtime period.

Sudden death was triggered after UCLA and Stanford netted a goal apiece in the second overtime window. After several missed attempts on both ends of the pool, Carsalade netted the game-winning penalty shot.

“We practice every possible situation in the game, and we try to keep calm there and focus,” Carsalade said. “At the end of the day, it’s just a shot from five meters, so shoutout to my teammates as well. Going this far in, we’re only able to do that because we have a very deep team, and we’re able to circle through a lot.”

UCLA displayed more dominance in its 18-goal performance against California, a season high against a conference opponent. Its three-point halftime advantage against the Golden Bears doubled following the Bruins’ seven-goal third quarter.

Dodd rebounded from Saturday with seven goals the next day – his most in a game since October 2024. Sophomore utility Bode Brinkema joined in the offensive output with his sixth hat trick of the season.

The postseason looms beyond the squad’s two remaining regular-season games.

And the likelihood that UCLA rematches with one of its conference rivals is almost guaranteed, whether it be in the MPSF Championship in late November or the NCAA Championship in early December.

Regardless, the Bruins are prepared to embrace the challenge.

“We had a little setback against USC,” Carsalade said. “This is a really important weekend for us … to get back on track and ready to go for postseason. But I think right now, the focus is not on the long term. It’s now. How can we get better today? How can we get better in the next game or next practice, or whatever the situation is?”