At 6:12 p.m., Dirks Pool was as still as glass and Spieker Aquatics Center appeared as it normally does before a rivalry showdown.
The stands were filled to capacity with a blend of red and blue.

A month ago, the Bruins fought to gain a lead against the Golden Bears.
On Sunday, the UCLA men’s water polo team fought to keep a lead in the longest game it has played in two years.

A large, red USC flag was draped lifeless over the ledge of Spieker Aquatics Center’s upper seating as the fourth period ticked away, held by two pairs of hands that had lost the motivation to wave it.

The temperature in Los Angeles has plummeted into the low 60s during the evenings and, consequently, a chill has settled over Spieker Aquatics Center.
Fog clouds the lights towering above the deck, and the blue and gold beanies have emerged from storage.

Under the lights of Spieker Aquatics Center, UCLA battled to gain the upper hand over league foe UC Santa Barbara in the opening eight minutes of Friday’s matchup.

Top-ranked UCLA, sporting identical blue and yellow robes, lined up in front of a glossy pool and an audience of Bruin and Golden Bear fans on Oct.

In the 45 total NCAA water polo championships that have been played, California, Stanford, USC or UCLA have vied for the trophy every year. The four powerhouse schools have combined for 41 national titles.

One minute and 21 seconds remained in the third period, and 7 meters separated Jack Fellner from California goalie Lazar Andric.
The 11 field players and the rows of spectators froze as the junior rose and launched a long skip shot through the 7-meter open lane, past Andric and into the back of the net.

The name Anthony Daboub has become synonymous with reliability.
Halfway through the second period in Saturday’s matchup against Stanford, a breakaway on defense presented a three-on-two opportunity for the Bruins on the other end of the pool.

While UCLA men’s water polo rides the momentum of a Kap7 SoCal Invitational title and a 17-0 start to the season, its upcoming opponents haven’t fared as well.