Big Splash + Big Kick: Cal vs. Stanford in Men’s Water Polo and Men’s Soccer

Today’s a big day for the Cal vs. Stanford rivalry as both the Men’s Water Polo and Men’s Soccer matches will be played. Both matches will be broadcasted by the Pac-12 Networks.

No.1 Cal Men’s Water Polo looks to retain the Steve Heaston trophy

Thanks to the big win over the previously top ranked USC this past weekend, Cal Men’s Water Polo (18-1, 2-0 in MPSF) has retain the top ranking in men’s college water polo. The defending NCAA champs, Golden Bears, will look to beat rival Stanford yet again, after a previous 11-9 meeting in the MPSF Invitational 3rd place match on September 24th and last year’s 11-10 Big Splash win.

Cal goalkeeper Kevin Le Vine made 19 saves for the big win.

Stanford (16-3, 1-1 in MPSF) is coming off a 7-5 win over UCLA that vaulted them to 3rd place in the country and conference. Only the top 3 teams from the conference will make the NCAA tournament but next weekend’s MPSF Tournament (November 17-19), hosted by Stanford, will have even more ramification for that than today’s Big Splash.

Golden Bears held senior captain and team leading scorer Luca Cupido out of the USC match due to an illness. While Cupido likely wants to play in the last Big Splash of his brilliant Cal career, the Bears probably can err on the safe side and give him more time off.

Big Splash: No.1 Cal at No.3 Stanford

Where: Stanford, CA

When: 2:30 PM PT

TV: Pac-12 Networks

No.22 Cal Men’s Soccer looks to improve postseason seed with a big road win at Stanford

Coming off two big wins over the SoCal Pac-12 schools in San Diego State and UCLA, the Golden Bears (11-5, 6-3 in Pac-12) will look to knock off Stanford (14-2-1, 8-0-1), who has already clinched the Pac-12 title, in the road leg of the Bay Area Derby.

Stanford defeated the Bears in Berkeley 3-0 back on October 8th. My preview for that match still mostly applies to this one.

Bears are coming off completing the season sweeps of the Southern California schools by beating SDSU 1-0 and UCLA 3-2 this past weekend. Francisco Perez scored a brace for the Bears against the Bruins.

Similar to Cal Men’s Water Polo, the Men’s Soccer team also got a big game from their keeper in Drake Callender.

It would take the same, if not even more effort, to pull off the big Bay Area Derby win at Stanford tonight for the Bears.

Big Kick: No.22 Cal at No.4 Stanford

Where: Stanford, CA

When: 7 PM PT

TV: Pac-12 Networks

GO BEARS!