LA JOLLA, Calif. - With only a second remaining in the game, junior driver Nick Alexander's game-tying shot attempt for the Tritons was saved by Aggie goalkeeper Spencer Creed as the 16th-ranked UC San Diego men's water polo team narrowly fell to visiting No. 10 UC Davis, 8-7, in a Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) matchup Thursday at Canyonview Aquatics Center.

With the loss, the Tritons drop to 11-12 overall and finish the conference schedule at 4-2. The Aggies improve to 16-7 overall and remain unbeaten in WWPA play at 5-0.

UC Davis struck first as Wes Lincoln found the back of the cage on a six-on-five situation. UCSD answered back with a powerplay goal of their own as Alexander found Cole Martinez for the score. The Aggies put away two more before the end of the opening period to take a two-goal lead.

The Tritons crawled out from the hole as senior two-meter Tyler Mancuso scored twice to open the second quarter. Junior utility Jack Ellinthorpe rifled one home to give UCSD its first lead of the match. UC Davis came back and took back the lead with goals from Lyle Kipp and Sean Grab. With 36 seconds remaining, Ellinthorpe was able to find the back of the cage as the two teams deadlocked at halftime, 5-5.

Both offenses struggled for much of the third frame. Junior utility Nassim Hmeidan gave UCSD back the lead, but Sasa Antunovic was able to tie the game, 6-6, with only 42 seconds remaining before the final period.

Antunovic put away another shot for the first goal of the fourth quarter. On the next Triton possession, Mancuso evened the game for the sixth time with a long-range bomb for his third score. With 2:17 remaining in the game, Sean Grab gave the Aggies the lead for good as he fired one home. The UC Davis defense was too good as UCSD came up empty on the ensuing possessions as time ran out.

Mancuso led the Tritons with three goals, his fifth hat trick of the season, and Ellinthorpe finished with two. Goalie Jack Turner amassed nine saves.

For UC Davis, three players scored two goals each in Kipp, Antunovic and Grab. Creed compiled eight saves.

The Tritons will have a day off before closing out the regular season as they host UC Santa Barbara on Saturday, Nov. 7. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m. 

Box Score
UCSD               1          4          1          1          -           7
UCD                 3          2          1          2          -           8

Goals
UCSD: Tyler Mancuso 3, Jack Ellinthorpe 2, Cole Martinez 1, Nassim Hmeidan 1

UCD: Sean Grab 2, Sasa Antunovic 1, Lyle Kipp 1, Ido Goldschmidt 1, Wes Lincoln 1

Saves
UCSD: Jack Turner 9

UCD: Spencer Creed 8

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