LA JOLLA, Calif.. – A nine-goal second half propelled the 11th-ranked UC San Diego men's water polo team to a commanding 17-7 conference win against No. 18 California Baptist Friday evening at Canyonview Aquatic Center.

The Tritons snapped a three-game losing slide to improve to 10-7 overall and 3-1 in the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA). The Lancers dropped to 11-11 and 1-2.

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HOW IT HAPPENED
Tied at 3-3 after the opening quarter, UC San Diego netted five goals in the second stanza to take an 8-4 advantage into halftime.

The Tritons out-did themselves in the third period by adding another six goals to their total, bringing the score to 14-5. They out-scored their opponent 3-2 in the fourth quarter to account for the final 17-7 score.

Redshirt freshman Miles Wilson led UC San Diego offensively, finishing with four points on three goals and an assist. Junior Vedran Latkovic also tallied four points, scoring twice and assisting on two other goals. The four-point trifecta was in order as sophomore Kaden Likins had a goal and three assists.

In total, 13 Tritons scored in the game as the team held a 39-23 advantage in shots.

UC San Diego was .500 in power play opportunities, scoring in four of eight extra man situations.

Sophomore Alexander Nemeth had a strong outing, making 10 saves while assisting on a goal and picking up four steals.

California Baptist got three goals from Caleb Teraoka. Four other Lancers scored once. Keeper Tristan Felberg finished with 11 saves.

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QUOTABLES FROM HEAD COACH DENNY HARPER



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TRITON TIDBITS

• Vedran Latkovic notched his team-leading 50th point of the season tonight.
• Latkovic and Calder Hilde-Jones have each scored 38 goals.
• For Miles Wilson, it was the eighth time he has rung up multiple points in a game this year.
• Manuel Augusto, who had a goal and an assist tonight, leads the team in assists with 18 helpers.
• UC San Diego has totaled 254 goals over 17 matches, an average of 14.9 goals per game.
• Hilde-Jones has scored at least one goal in all 17 games and has netted multiple goals in his last nine outings

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UP NEXT
The Tritons host a big WWPA contest next week when No. 15 Loyola Marymount visits Canyonview Aquatic Center on Saturday, October 23 at noon. The Homecoming Week game will be the third time this season that the Tritons and Lions have met. UC San Diego is 2-0 vs. LMU, winning both non-conference games.
 
For the team's full season schedule, click here.

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About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 84 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.