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UCLA men’s water polo coach Adam Krikorian argues with the referee about a controversial ov

PALO ALTO — Storming to the announcer’s table after the game, UCLA men’s water polo coach Adam Krikorian slammed his fist on the table.

Krikorian’s anger mounted throughout Saturday’s game against No. 3 Stanford (14-3, 3-0). He was livid over the officiating and a controversial play in the first overtime period. But most of all, he was dismayed that his young Bruin team dropped yet another heartbreaker to the Cardinal, 9-8, in double overtime, after leading by three goals in the final regulation period.

“We expect to be on top, and obviously we’re not achieving. This loss hurts no matter how we played,” Krikorian said.

“The thing about this game and this sport is when you get a lead ... you see the game change. The officiating changes and the officials start swallowing their whistles more.”

Gone are the days when No. 4 UCLA (15-5, 2-1 MPSF) dominated the water polo world. Their national-championship-defending aura has been sapped.

The Bruins have fallen to the Cardinal despite a fourth-quarter lead three times this season. They’ve also lost to No. 2 Cal in overtime, and still have yet to face top-ranked USC.

“Having confidence to hold onto our lead, we don’t have that,” junior center Grant Zider said. “We thought we had it today, but it slipped away again. I don’t know, it just seems like the same old story every time.”

Despite Sunday’s 13-2 victory over non-conference opponent UC Santa Cruz (4-13), UCLA is now in a precarious position to defend its national championship. To even get a bid to the NCAA Tournament, the Bruins will have to win the conference tournament – which begins in less than a month – outright.

When asked if he thinks this team is ready for the postseason, Krikorian says he isn’t sure.

“I guess. You never know until we get there,” he said. “We had enough character and will to get through it last year, but (it seems) we just don’t have enough of it this year.”

Stanford took advantage of its 6-on-5 opportunities (3 for 3) in the second half to tie the game at 7-7 going into the extra period.

In the first overtime period, UCLA scored on a 6-on-5 advantage when senior attacker John Blanchette rebounded junior attacker Logan Powell’s missed shot off the cage and flicked a shot into the back of the net. On the ensuing possession, however, Stanford senior attacker Thomas Hopkins drew an ejection at two meters and scored on a penalty shot past UCLA junior goalie Will Didinger, tying the game at 8-8.

The play Krikorian was harping on after the game came with 59 seconds remaining in the first overtime period, when UCLA was on a 6-on-5 advantage with Stanford’s Peter Varellas excluded from play. Powell connected on a goal from outside that would have given UCLA a 9-8 lead. However, Varellas was waved in late on an error by the Stanford announcers table, and because the Bruins scored during the time Varellas should have been in, the goal was erased.

“Because (Varellas) wasn’t waved in properly, it changes the outcome of the game, and because there was an error made by the table you go back to where he should’ve been in and replay,” MPSF evaluator for referees Megan Hernandez said. “It wasn’t a referee error. I’m sure UCLA will probably protest. I would. Obviously it’s an unfortunate situation.”

“That’s screwed (up),” Krikorian said, “and it could’ve possibly cost us the game.”

Stanford’s game-winning goal was scored by Hopkins, who had a game-high four goals, on a dry shot to the left side of the cage with 15 seconds remaining in the game.

“I feel like each of the three games we played against (Stanford), we were in position to win, we should’ve won, and we just had some lapses in the fourth quarter,” Blanchette said. “We’ve given the games away to them.”