LA JOLLA, Calif. - The 16th-ranked University of California San Diego men's water polo team scored seven first-half goals en route to a 10-7 win over No. 15 California Baptist in a Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) matchup, Saturday at Canyonview Aquatic Center.
The Tritons remain perfect in conference play with the win at 4-0 and improve to 10-6 overall. The Lancers drop to 13-8 overall and 0-2 in the WWPA.
Senior Jack Ellinthorpe and freshman Skyler Munatones led UCSD with two goals each. Redshirt sophomore Cole Martinez, senior Nassim Hmeidan, junior Arman Momdzhyan, senior Nick Alexander, freshman Cooper Milton and senior Andy Moore pitched in one apiece. Redshirt sophomore goalie Jack Turner compiled nine saves.
CBU was led by Dominick Nevarez's two scores. Lancer goalie Joseph Moorman amassed 15 stops.
UCSD raced out to a 4-1 lead after the first quarter thanks to two goals from Munatones, including one on a counter-attack with the assist from Turner, and one each from Momdzhyan and Martinez.
The Tritons kept their foot on the pedal in the second period putting three away, one apiece from Alexander, Moore and Hmeidan, after giving up a score on CBU's opening possession. UCSD went into halftime with a 7-2 advantage.
The Tritons grabbed their biggest lead of the game in the third quarter, 8-2, after Munatones fed Milton for the goal. The Lancers answered back with two goals in the span of 12 seconds as UCSD went into the final period up, 8-4.
CBU cut the lead to three, 8-5, on a power-play score from Elad Gunya. It would be the closest the Lancers would get as UCSD restored its three-goal lead after Ellinthorpe found the back of the cage.
Three goals were scored in the closing stages of the contest, one by the Tritons and two by CBU. Brent Teraoka put in a power-play score for the Lancers with 1:19 remaining in the game. Ellinthorpe answered back with 40 ticks remaining on the clock as Moorman came out of the cage for CBU, trying to get a steal. Nevarez got his second goal of the game 10 seconds later, with 30 ticks left in the contest. From there, UCSD was able to successfully run out the clock and earn a three-score victory.
The Tritons will play their final two home games. UCSD will host Concordia on Thursday, Oct. 20 at 6 p.m. and UC Irvine on Sunday, Oct. 23 at 12 p.m. for Senior Day.
UC San Diego 10, California Baptist 7
UCSD 4 3 1 2 - 10
CBU 1 1 2 3 - 7
Goals
UCSD: Skyler Munatones 2, Jack Ellinthorpe 2, Cole Martinez 1, Nassim Hmeidan 1, Arman Momdzhyan 1, Nick Alexander 1, Cooper Milton 1, Andy Moore 1
CBU: Dominick Nevarez 2, Tanner Shore 1, Elad Gunya 1, Logan Mena 1, Brent Teraoka 1, Teddy Forte 1
Saves
UCSD: Jack Turner 9
CBU: Joseph Moorman 15
#AllForOne
