LA JOLLA, Calif. - The 10th-ranked UC San Diego men's water polo team opened the 2009 season as host of Triton Invitational on Saturday, facing 7th-ranked UC Santa Barbara and 5th-ranked Pepperdine on the first day of the tournament. The Tritons lost by a 15-12 final score in their match against UCSB, before falling to Pepperdine, 12-10. UCSD's record now stands at 0-2, while UC Santa Barbara and Pepperdine both hold a 2-0 mark.
In their first game of the year, the Tritons fell behind UCSB after being outscored 4-2 in the first period. The Gauchos scored five more times in the second, but Steven Donohoe was able to keep UCSD within striking range with all three Triton goals in the period.
In the third period, Donohoe was joined in his scoring efforts by fellow seniors Ian Bausback, Kneif Lohse, and junior Sean Cruz, as all four recorded goals. Donohoe's score with 1:14 remaining in the period brought UCSD within one. However, the Gauchos scored with less than a second remaining to push the margin back to two heading into the final period.
Donohue scored his first of two goals in the fourth with 7:27 left to play on a penalty shot, pulling head coach Denny Harper's squad back to within one at 11-10. However, UC Santa Barbara was able to hold off the comeback, scoring four times in the period to take the 15-12 victory.
Donohoe led the way with seven goals for UCSD, while Bausback scored twice.
Against the Waves, Cruz scored UCSD's first three goals of the game, tying things up with his third at the 3:17 point of the first quarter. The Waves responded with three scores in the final 1:27 of the opening period.
The Tritons were able to make up some ground with goals by senior Sean Roberts and Lohse in the second. However, UCSD again allowed the final goal of the third quarter, this time with 25 seconds remaining. While the Tritons scored first in the fourth, Pepperdine maintained their slim advantage down the stretch.
The Triton Invitational, taking place at the Coggan Aquatic Complex on the La Jolla High School campus due to an equipment malfunction at the Canyonview Aquatic Center, will conclude tomorrow. Game one, featuring No. 19 Air Force taking on Pomona Pitzer, is slated for an 8 a.m. start time. UC San Diego will begin their day against Cal Lutheran at 9:20 a.m. and finish up competition for the weekend later in the afternoon, with time and opponent to be determined based on tournament results.
SCORING SUMMARY
Game One
UCSB 15, UCSD 12
UCSB 4 - 5 - 2 - 4 = 15
UCSD 2 - 3 - 4 - 3 = 12
Goals
UCSB: B. Shoemaker 3, N. Smith 3, S. Castillo 3, R. Flint 2, S.
Partelow, B. Bishop, M. Golic, J. Wood.
UCSD: S. Donohoe 7, I. Bausback 2, B. Donohoe, K. Lohse, S. Cruz.
1st Period
6:49 Bishop (UCSB) 0-1
4:39 Shoemaker (UCSB) 0-2
2:59 B. Donohoe (UCSD) 1-2
2:40 Golic (UCSB) 1-3
1:24 S. Donohue (UCSD) 2-3
0:18 Smith (UCSB) 2-4
2nd Period
7:20 Smith (UCSB) 2-5
6:12 S. Donohoe (UCSD) 3-5
4:45 S. Donohoe (UCSD) 4-5
4:26 Smith (UCSB) 4-6
1:22 Partelow (UCSB) 4-7
0:52 Wood (UCSB) 4-8
0:35 S. Donohoe (UCSD) 5-8
0:06 Castillo (UCSB) 5-9
3rd Period
6:09 Lohse (UCSD) 6-9
4:27 Flint (UCSB) 6-10
4:16 I. Bausback (UCSD) 7-10
2:26 Cruz (UCSD) 8-10
1:14 Donohoe (UCSD) 9-10
0:01 Castillo (UCSB) 9-11
4th Period
7:27 S. Donohoe (UCSD) 10-11
5:19 Shoemaker (UCSB) 10-12
4:57 I. Bausback (UCSD) 11-12
4:32 Flint (UCSB) 11-13
4:14 S. Donohoe (UCSD) 12-13
3:49 Shoemaker (UCSB) 12-14
1:43 Castillo (UCSB) 12-15
Attendance: 561
Game Two
Pepperdine 12, UCSD 10
Pepperdine: 6 - 1 - 3 - 2 = 12
UCSD: 3 - 2 - 3 - 2 = 10
Goals:
Pepperdine: J.P. MacDonell 3, T. Watson 3, J. Young 2, P. Lujan, C.
Cardey, C. Snyder.
UCSD: S. Cruz 5, S. Roberts 2, K. Lohse 2, S. Donohoe.
1st Period
7:26 Young (PEP) 0-1
5:59 Cruz (UCSD) 1-1
4:31 Watson (PEP) 1-2
4:03 Cruz (UCSD) 2-2
3:39 MacDonell (PEP) 2-3
3:17 Cruz (UCSD) 3-3
1:27 (PEP) 3-4
0:31 Watson (PEP) 3-5
0:02 MacDonell (PEP) 3-6
2nd Period
5:15 Roberts (UCSD) 4-6
3:35 Lujan (PEP) 4-7
2:29 Lohse (UCSD) 5-7
3rd Period
6:41 Snyder (PEP) 5-8
6:03 Lohse (UCSD) 6-8
5:07 Cruz (UCSD) 7-8
4:32 Watson (PEP) 7-9
0:44 S. Donohoe (UCSD) 8-9
0:25 Young (PEP) 8-10
4th Period
6:42 Roberts (UCSD) 9-10
5:10 MacDonell (PEP) 9-11
1:30 Cardey (PEP) 9-12
1:13 Cruz (UCSD) 10-12
Attendance: 492
