SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The 13th-ranked University of California San Diego men's water polo team narrowly fell to No.6 UC Santa Barbara by a final score of 11-9, Saturday at Campus Pool. The two teams were deadlocked at 8-8 in the middle of the fourth quarter until the Gauchos scored three straight to put the game away.
With the loss the Tritons drop to 4-4 on the season. UCSB improves to 4-1.
Redshirt sophomore Cole Martinez (San Diego/La Jolla HS), junior Arman Momdzhyan and freshman Skyler Munatones had two goals each to lead UCSD. Sophomore Kevin Asplund, redshirt freshman Kacper Langiewicz (San Marcos/Mission Hills HS) and senior Andy Moore pitched in one each. Senior Nick Alexander compiled a game-high six assists. Redshirt sophomore goalie Jack Turner amassed 13 stops.
"An excellent game by Jack Turner," commented head coach Denny Harper.
Reed Cotterill and Boris Jovanovic were the top scorers for the Gauchos with three goals each. Goalie Liam Lenihan had eight saves.
UCSB had the first two goals of the game and took the early lead. The Tritons answered back and tied the game at 3-3 when Moore was able to find the back of the cage 32 seconds into the second quarter. From there, neither team was able to get more than a one-score advantage until the closing moments of the game.
UCSD grabbed its first lead of the game, 4-3, with a score from Martinez. The two sides went into halftime tied, 5-5.
The Tritons and Gauchos exchanged goals for much of the second half in a you-score-I-score fashion. Langiewicz equalized the score for the sixth and final time at 8-8 with 5:44 left in the game. UCSB pulled away in the final five minutes, scoring three unanswered on UCSD. The Tritons were awarded and Martinez fired home a five-meter penalty shot that was true with 28 ticks before the final buzzer as UCSD fell by two.
"There were too many turnovers and mistakes made due to fatigue in the second half," said Harper. "A game we certainly could have won."
The Tritons return home and host two games for its next contests. UCSD will play its annual Welcome Week game against LMU on Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 6 p.m. Last year's game brought in a crowd of 1,712. UCSD will then face Fresno Pacific on Friday, Sept. 23 at 6 p.m.
UCSB 11, UCSD 9
UCSD 2 3 1 3 - 9
UCSB 3 2 2 4 - 11
Goals
UCSD: Cole Martinez 2, Arman Momdzhyan 2, Skyler Munatones 2, Kevin Asplund 1, Andy Moore 1, Kacper Langiewicz 1
UCSB: Reed Cotterill 3, Boris Jovanovic 3, Cameron Yates 1, Anthony Buljan 1, Ivan Gvodanovic 1, Nick Wiley 1, Mitchell Hamilton 1
Saves
UCSD: Jack Turner 13
UCSB: Liam Lenihan 8
#AllForOne
