LA JOLLA, Calif. - After a 2-2 tie at the end of the first quarter, the 16th-ranked University of California San Diego men's water polo team was outscored 8-4 the rest of the way and fell to No. 6 Long Beach State by a final score of 10-6, Wednesday at Canyonview Aquatic Center.
The Tritons drop to 9-6 overall with the loss. The 49ers improve to 10-5.
Senior captain Nick Alexander led UCSD with a game-high three goals. Senior Nassim Hmeidan pitched in two and redshirt sophomore Thomas Higginson (San Diego/The Bishop's School) had one. Redshirt sophomore goalie Jack Turner amassed 11 saves in the cage.
Keegan Wicken and Jacob Fujioka were Long Beach State's leading goal scorers with two apiece. 49er goalie Thomas Freeman stopped eight shots.
Each team put away two power-play goals in the first period, with the Triton scores coming from Hmeidan and Alexander.
Long Beach State started to pull away in the second quarter with three consecutive goals, including a five-meter penalty. Alexander got one in on a six-on-five before the end of the period as UCSD trailed 5-3 at halftime.
The Tritons allowed three more goals in the third and were only able to muster one as they went into the final quarter with an 8-4 deficit. The lone UCSD score in the period came from Alexander on a powerplay to complete his hat trick.
The 49ers and Tritons exchanged two goals apiece in the fourth quarter. UCSD was able to capitalize on the six-on-five with two power-play scores from Hmeidan and Higginson in the period.
The Tritons will have two days to prepare for No. 15 California Baptist in a Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) showdown this Saturday, Oct. 15, at 5 p.m. at Canyonview Aquatic Center.
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