LOS ANGELES - The sixth-seeded Lancers were no match for the top-seeded Tritons' offense in the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) Championship semifinals Saturday as seniors Matt Michalko, Lukas Syka, Josh Stiling and Luca De Vivo all recorded hat tricks. In a well-balanced team effort, No. 6 UC San Diego (14-9) defeated California Baptist, 15-9, at Burns Aquatics Center. Saturday's win advances the Tritons to the WWPA championship game against fourth-seeded host Loyola Marymount on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Tritons came out firing from the start against the Lancers (15-19). Michalko recorded the first goal of the game early. Then with UCSD down 2-1, Michalko found the back of the cage again on a pass from David Higginson to tie it up at two apiece.
Stiling gave the Tritons a 3-2 lead, but the Lancers tied it back up shortly after. Still, UCSD had the advantage after the first quarter as Syka scored his first goal of the game to make it 4-3.
Cameron Ravanbach and the Tritons' defense shined in the second quarter, the La Jolla native holding the Lancers scoreless. The senior co-captain finished the game with 12 stops.
Behind a stellar defensive performance, the Tritons continued to dominate on offense in the second quarter. Chase Cockerill extended UCSD's lead with 5:18 left in the half. Then Michalko recorded the first hat trick for the Tritons on an assist from Stiling. De Vivo and Syka finished off the quarter with a goal apiece as UCSD held an 8-3 advantage at the half.
Stiling opened up the second half with an early goal. After the Lancers cut their deficit to five, sophomore Andy Moore put the Tritons up 10-4. Stiling recorded his third moments later on a penalty shot, and Syka followed suit as he earned a hat trick before the end of the third quarter.
The fourth quarter started off with the Lancers scoring on back-to-back possessions, but it wasn't enough to spark a comeback. Stiling once again converted on a penalty shot to make it 13-8. De Vivo then scored the final two goals for the Tritons.
UCSD will face rival LMU, an 11-9 winner in Saturday's second semifinal over No. 2 seed UC Davis, tomorrow in the WWPA championship game at 1 p.m. The Tritons are looking to earn their 17th conference title on Sunday.
BOX SCORE
UCSD 4 4 4 3 - 15
CBU 3 0 3 3 - 9
GOALS
UCSD: Josh Stiling 4, Matt Michalko 3, Lukas Syka 3, Luca De Vivo 3, Chase Cockerill 1, Andy Moore 1
CBU: Nick Candau 2, Cllint Walling 2, Davor Koret 1, Brent Teraoka 1, Eric Carnohan 1, Cody Wetherbee 1, Thomas Henline 1
SAVES
UCSD: Cameron Ravanbach 12
CBU: Neil Scott 9
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