No. 13 UCSD Remains Undefeated in WWPA With Convincing Win Over Air Force

LA JOLLA, Calif. - Ten different Tritons scored as the 13th-ranked University of California San Diego men's water polo team earned a decisive 16-6 victory over Air Force in a Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) game Friday evening at Canyonview Aquatic Center.

With the win, UC San Diego remains undefeated in WWPA play, improving to a perfect 5-0 record. UCSD is 8-11 on the season. Air Force drops to 5-11 overall and 1-2 in the conference.

Senior Arman Momdzhyan led the Triton offense with four goals, collecting a team-best ninth hat trick of the year. Junior Alessandro Valania tallied two goals while contributing four assists and two steals. Freshman Connor Turnbow-Lindenstadt and sophomore Luka Vasiljevic notched two goals apiece.

UCSD held a 34-29 advantage in shots and went 4-of-6 on powerplays.

The Falcons got on the board first, scoring on a 6-on-5 situation, before freshman Jack Ranj received a pass from junior Kevin Asplund and launched one past Air Force goalie James Burke. The Falcons answered with another goal but UCSD scored three-straight to take a 4-2 lead into the second quarter.

The Tritons continued their scoring streak, notching three more unanswered goals to go up, 7-2. The Falcons' Edward Smet put one into the net to cut the lead to four but Valania capped the first half with a goal as time expired on the clock.

Momdzhyan opened up the third quarter with a powerful backhanded goal to put the Tritons up, 9-3, before scoring again just 30 seconds later, completing his hat trick. Momdzhyan's final goal of the night came with 4:35 left in the frame.

UCSD added four goals in the final quarter to seal the 10-goal victory. Freshman Ryan Rodriguez, freshman Brad Robison and Vasiljeic all scored in the frame.

Junior Sam Thompson had 13 saves in goal.

Smet led Air Force with two goals while Burke made seven stops in goal.

The Tritons will continue their three-game homestand when they welcome Santa Clara to La Jolla for a WWPA matchup Thursday, Oct. 26 at 6 p.m.

UC San Diego 16, Air Force 6
UCSD 4 4 4 4 - 16
Air Force 2 1 1 2 - 6

Goals
UCSD: Arman Momdzhyan 4, Connor Turnbow-Lindenstadt 2, Luka Vasiljevic 2, Alessandro Valania 2, Skyler Munatones, Jack Ranj, Carson Ivancovich, Ryan Rodriguez, Noah Carniglia, Brad Robison.