Men's Water Polo 11/23/2014 4:33:00 PM UCSD

No. 6 UCSD Claims 17th WWPA Title in 12-6 Win Against LMU

LOS ANGELES - No. 6 UC San Diego won its 17th Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) Championship Sunday as it defeated 17th-ranked Loyola Marymount, 12-6, at Burns Aquatic Center. Thanks to a phenomenal defensive performance led by goalkeeper Cameron Ravanbach and a well-balanced offensive attack, UCSD received the league's automatic qualifier into the 2014 National Collegiate Men's Water Polo Championship.

On top of earning his 17th WWPA title, head coach Denny Harper also got his 600th career win.

David Higginson got an explosive first quarter started. The senior knocked it in off the left post with 5:58 remaining to score the first goal of the game. Lukas Syka then notched his first goal of the day to put UCSD up 2-0.

LMU scored its only goal of the frame to cut their deficit to one, but the Tritons answered back with three more goals. Matt Michalko skipped in a rebound from two meters, Chase Cockerill recorded a goal, and Josh Stiling scored on a cross-cage shot to put the Tritons up 5-1 at the end of the first.

The stellar defensive performance continued in the second quarter. On a man-up situation for the Lions, Cockerill grabbed a huge steal for the Tritons. UCSD also prevented LMU from converting on a goalie ejection. With Ravanbach out, senior Dan Lorch put up a critical field block to help hold the Lions scoreless in the second half.

The Tritons continued to add to their lead thanks to goals by Joe Dietrich, Andy Moore and Syka as they went into halftime with an 8-1 lead.

UCSD struck early in the third quarter. Dietrich recorded a goal only 12 seconds into the half. Higginson then scored his second of the game to make it 10-1. Dietrich tacked on yet another goal on a penalty shot to completed the hat trick. Syka then recorded a hat trick shortly after while giving UCSD a 12-1 lead.

The Lions scored two straight goals to end the third quarter.

LMU opened the fourth quarter with three more unanswered goals, but the Tritons held the Lions off to get the win.

After posting 16 stops against LMU, Ravanbach was named the WWPA Tournament Most Valuable Player. Dietrich, Stiling and Ravanbach were all named to the WWPA All-Tournament First Team and Syka was named to the second team.

As the Tritons head to the NCAA postseason, they have received the No. 4 seed and will host a play-in game on Nov. 29 at 4:30 p.m. against No. 5 seed Brown (26-6). Should UCSD win that game, it will advance to the national final four and face UCLA.

No. 3 seed Southern California (22-6) will play host to No. 6 seed Whittier (23-12) as the two look for a berth into the bracket and a chance to face Stanford on Dec. 6.

UCLA secured the No. 1 seed while Stanford earned the No. 2 seed. By taking the top two seeds, both teams have automatically advanced to the national final four.

UCSD is hosting the 2014 NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship Dec. 6-7 at Canyonview Aquatic Center. For ticket information and more, click here.

Stay tuned to UCSDtritons.com for more information when it becomes available.

BOX SCORE
UCSD 5 3 4 0 - 12
LMU 1 0 2 3 - 6

GOALS
UCSD: Lukas Syka 3, Joe Dietrich 3, David Higginson 2, Matt Michalko 1 ,Chase Cockerill 1, Josh Stiling 1, Andy Moore 1
LMU: Matt Cuozzo 2, Jon Beck 2, Liam Jennis 1, Matt Stipanovich 1