UCLA’s Nicolas Saveljic (21), right, tries to shoot over Pacific’s Luke Pavillard (5) during NCAA Championship semifinal match at Uytengsu Aquatics Center in USC Campus in Los Angeles on Saturday, December 2, 2017. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
The national stage didn’t faze Nicolas Saveljic. He’s already competed at the international level.
The freshman Montenegro national team member scored a hat trick in UCLA’s 11-9 win over Pacific in the NCAA tournament semifinals on Saturday, sending the Bruins to Sunday’s championship match where they will face rival USC.
Saveljic said after the game he was surprised by the sold-out crowd that Uytengsu Aquatics Center. It only added to the magnitude of the game.
“I’m always nervous before big games,” he said. “But that’s why we play.”
USC survived a tight match against Cal to win 12-11. The crosstown rivals play for the national championship on Sunday at 3 p.m. A live stream is available on NCAA.com.