COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The 12th-ranked University of California San Diego men's water polo team shut out No. 18 Air Force 2-0 in overtime to come away with a 15-13 victory in a Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) matchup, Friday at Cadet Natatorium.
With 1:20 left in the first of two overtime periods, senior Nassim Hmeidan received a pass from freshman Noah Carniglia for the score to put the Tritons up for good, 14-13. Freshman Skyler Munatones was responsible for the other goal with 11 seconds remaining in the second overtime period.
"This was a very hard win," said head coach Denny Harper. "Glad we got the win, but still made a ton of mistakes. In the end I believe our experience helped us."
UCSD moves to 7-4 overall and remains undefeated in conference play at 3-0. The Falcons drop to 3-8 overall and 0-1 in the WWPA.
Hmeidan led the Tritons with four goals. Redshirt sophomore Cole Martinez (San Diego/La Jolla HS), freshman David Albers and senior Andy Moore pitched in two each. Redshirt sophomore goalie Jack Turner amassed a career-high 17 saves.
Eric Curia paced Air Force with a game-high eight goals. Falcon goalie Max Benson compiled 11 saves.
UCSD raced out to a two-score lead after the first quarter, 4-2, thanks to goals from senior Jack Ellinthorpe, Martinez, Moore and Albers.
Air Force evened the score in the second frame, 5-5, as Curia completed his hat trick with his third goal. Neither team would get more than a one-score advantage in regulation from there as the game featured seven more ties. The Tritons went into halftime up 8-7 thanks to a five-meter penalty shot converted by Hmeidan.
The Falcons got their first lead in the third period, 11-10, with Curia's eighth goal. The two squads went into the final quarter deadlocked, 12-12, after Hmeidan scored with 17 seconds left and Air Force's Ryan Dorris answered with two ticks remaining.
The Falcons scored on their first offensive possession of the fourth to lead by one. Hmeidan tied it up, 13-13, for the ninth and final time and completed a hat trick with his third goal on a power play.
The Triton defense came up big in overtime, allowing no Air Force scores as Turner made three crucial stops.
UCSD will take a break from WWPA action and will play three games at the two-day Gary Troyer Tournament, hosted by Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Pomona-Pitzer for its next competition. The Tritons will face CMS at 12:45 p.m. and PP at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 7, and close the tournament out against Penn State Behrend on Saturday, Oct. 8, at 11:45 a.m.
UCSD 15, USAFA 13 (OT)
UCSD 4 4 4 1 1 1 - 15
USAFA 2 5 5 1 0 0 - 13
Goals:
UCSD: Nassim Hmeidan 4, Cole Martinez 2, David Albers 2, Andy Moore 2, Noah Carniglia 1, Arman Momdzhyan 1, Skyler Munatones 1, Jack Ellinthorpe 1, Thomas Higginson 1
USAFA: Eric Curia 8, Riley Thomas 2, Jack Empey 2, Ryan Dorris 1
Saves:
UCSD: Jack Turner 17
USAFA: Max Benson 11
#AllForOne
