Spencer Jung

Cal men's water polo matched up with USC in the MPSF Championship, just falling short to the reigning champions — with a 12-13 final score.

For the Cal men’s water polo team, its final test won’t be in a classroom, but at USC’s Uytengsu Aquatics Center. The Bears will look to win their third consecutive national title and 17th in team history.

The Cal men’s water polo team played five nonconference matches over three days, winning them all to head into the final stretch of the regular season.

The Cal men’s water polo team closes out nonconference play by playing five games in the next three days.

Cal men’s water polo started off the 2023 season undefeated with a solid 12-game winning streak. Since then, it appears that the Bears are in the midst of their own slump.

Saturday, the rivalry continues in the pool as Cal men’s water polo hits the road and travels down to Palo Alto to play against No. 3 Stanford. With the Bears being handed their only two losses of the season in the last three games, the upcoming Saturday game can determine if Cal will resume its winning ways.

For Cal men’s water polo, the Overnght MPSF Invitational could be considered its Achilles heel. 2023 marks the third consecutive year in which the Bears suffered their first loss of the season at the tournament.

For Cal men’s water polo, the first test of the season will take place in Los Angeles this upcoming weekend when it partakes in the annual Overnght MPSF Invitational, hoping for first place after settling for third last year.

Down in Los Angeles, Saturday marked the home opener for USC at Uytengsu Aquatics Center and a rematch of the 2022 NCAA championship game. Saturday’s game also resulted in a new milestone for the Bears’ head coach Kirk Everist as his largest win over the Trojans during his tenure at Cal.

Monday’s win means Cal extends its winning streak against Navy to a perfect 10-0 record, dating back to 2006 when the two sides first met.