No. 14 Tritons Trounce No. 20 Fresno Pacific 16-6 to Stay Undefeated in Conference Play

LA JOLLA, Calif. - With the game deadlocked at 2-2 in the middle of the first quarter, the 14th-ranked University of California San Diego men's water polo team outscored No. 20 Fresno Pacific 14-4 the rest of the way to win by a final score of 16-6 in a Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) matchup, Friday at Canyonview Aquatic Center.

UC San Diego wins its second game in a row and moves to 6-4 overall and 2-0 in the WWPA. The Sunbirds drop to 3-3 overall and 0-2 in conference play.

Junior Arman Momdzhyan led the way with a game co-high four goals. Redshirt sophomore Cole Martinez and senior Nassim Hmeidan pitched in two each. Redshirt sophomore goalie Jack Turner made 12 stops.

David Maes was FPU's leading scorer with four goals. Goalie Dillon Robinson amassed eight saves.

UCSD got the first two scores of the game from Martinez and freshman Skyler Munatones, but the Sunbirds answered back with two straight of their own to even it up. The Tritons closed the first period with two goals in the final minute from Momdzhyan and freshman David Albers to lead by two.

FPU closed within one, 4-3, on its first offensive possession in the second quarter with a score from Maes. It would be the closest the Sunbirds would get as UCSD rattled off eight straight goals from there, four in the second and four in the third, to lead 12-3 going into the final frame. Turner and the Triton defense held FPU scoreless in the third period.

The Tritons allowed three FPU scores, but got four for themselves in the last eight minutes of the game, including a five-meter penalty goal from senior Nick Alexander, to win by 12.

The Tritons will continue conference play when they travel to Colorado Springs, Colo. to take on Air Force, Friday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. PT for their next contest.

UCSD 16, FPU 6
UCSD 4 4 4 4 - 16
FPU 2 1 0 3 - 6

Goals
UCSD: Arman Momdzhyan 4, Nassim Hmeidan 2, Cole Martinez 2, Ari Wayne 1, Thomas Higginson 1, Rich Farley 1, Carson Ivancovich 1, David Albers 1, Skyler Munatones 1, Collin Sullivan 1, Nick Alexander 1