LA JOLLA, Calif.- The 7th-ranked UC San Diego men's water polo team defeated 10th-ranked UC Davis 6-4 in front of 814 fans in Canyonview Pool on Saturday night. Seniors Steven Jendrusina, Kevin Smoker, Chris Finegold and Jonathan Hopkins all scored in their last collegiate match at UCSD. Adnan Jerkovic netted two more goals in the win for the 22-7 Tritons. A total of 12 Triton seniors played their final home match including Nicholas Takahashi, Bryan Corbett, Colin McElroy, David Miller, Chris Eichholz, Clark Petersen, Brandon Borso and Travis Boettner.
UC Davis scored first on a goal by Conor Dunignan at the 5:32 mark. The Tritons then scored the next two goals of the period as Jendrusina put the Tritons on the board 1-1 with 3:40 left. Smoker then netted his goal with 2:37 left in the period. The teams would remain that way after one quarter, 2-1 UCSD.
Jerkovic scored the only goal of the second frame with 4:15 remaining as the Tritons held a 3-1 lead at the break.
Jerkovic opened the third quarter scoring with a goal with 5:44 left. UCD's Matt MacLachlan brought the Aggies within striking distance at 4-2 with 3:02 remaining in the third. Hopkins then gave the Tritons some room with a goal and the 5-2 lead after three.
In the fourth, the Aggies' Patrick Jacobson netted a goal at the 3:56 mark to bring the Aggies within two. Finegold then netted a goal to put the Tritons up 6-3. UCD's David Welch scored with :24 left and the Tritons then ran out the clock for the final, 6-4 UCSD.
UCSD is back in action on Friday November 11th in an exhibition match against Sunset San Diego in Canyonview Pool at 6:00 pm. The Tritons head for the WWPA tournament in Los Angeles, hosted by LMU on Nov. 19-17.
