LA JOLLA, Calif. ? The 14th-ranked UC San Diego men's water polo team challenged the Western Water Polo Association leaders, UC Davis, before falling in overtime to the Aggies by a 9-8 score on Friday night at Canyonview Pool. Ben Miller gave the Tritons the lead at 7-6 with 1:41 left to play in regulation, before the Aggies tied it with 1:19 remaining. UC Davis scored the first two goals of the overtime period to lead 9-7. UCSD came back within one goal on Curtis Williamson's score but could not come up with the potential game tying goal in overtime. With the loss, UCSD drops to 10-12, while the Aggies improve to 15-5.
Chance Vermilyea, Curtis Williamson and Daniel Garcia scored two goals apiece for the Tritons, while Steven Donohoe and Ben Miller also scored.
For UC Davis, Adam Bennett scored three times along with Nick Arrigo. Joseph Smith, Paul Wilson and Aaron Salit scored for UCD.
UCD opened the scoring with a goal by Salit at the 5:23 mark. UCSD tied it on Vermilyea's first score at the 4:22 mark. The score would hold at 1-1 after one.
UCD scored the first two goals of the second quarter and led 3-1. After Garcia cut the deficit down to 3-2, UCD's Smith scored with :58 left and the Aggies led 4-2 at halftime.
The Tritons got to work quickly in the third quarter as Vermilyea scored with 7:02 left. Williamson scored his first goal with 2:08 remaining to tie the game at 4-4. The Triton defense pitched a shutout in the quarter and the teams were tied at 4-4 through three.
In the fourth, UCD's Wilson scored with 7:16 left to take the Aggie lead. Garcia's goal at 5:22 tied the game at 5-5. Dohonoe's goal gave the Tritons the lead at 6-5 with 3:29 left, but the Aggies retied it at 6-6 on Bennett's goal with 3:05 remaining. Miller put the Tritons back on top with a strike at 1:41, and the Aggies raced back to tie it quickly with 1:19 on the clock by Arrigo.
Tied at 7-7 in overtime, UCD's Arrigo scored in the first session to give the Aggies an 8-7 lead. The Aggies scored at the 2:33 mark to take their two-goal lead before Williamson's strike with :58 brought UCSD within 9-8. UCSD could not produce the tying goal as the Aggies edged the Tritons.
UCSD is back in action on Friday, October 26 when it travels to face UC Irvine. First sprint is set for 6:00 p.m. in Irvine.
