LA JOLLA, Calif. — A penalty shot goal with just over two minutes left in the game propelled No. 8 UC Irvine to a 10-9 win over No. 11 UC San Diego Friday in Big West men's water polo action at Canyonview Aquatic Center.

The Tritons dropped to 11-10 overall and 1-1 in conference action, while the Anteaters moved to 11-5 and 1-0.

HOW IT HAPPENED
With UC Irvine ahead 9-8, senior Kaden Likins scored his third goal of the game for the Tritons to tie the contest a final time at 9-9 with 3:24 remaining in the fourth quarter. However, UC San Diego was whistled for a penalty foul at the 2:09 mark. Johann Thrall, who had already scored three times in the game, buried the five-meter penalty shot to send the Anteaters home victorious.

The game was tied nine times. UC San Diego held leads at 1-0, 3-2, 4-3, 5-4, 6-5, 7-6, and 8-7.

It was the fifth hat trick of the season for Likins. He also assisted on a pair of goals to finish his night with five points.

Junior Ante Buzov accounted for three of UC San Diego's goals, the second hat trick for the Croatian during his first season with the Tritons. 

Sophomores Bennett Axline and Brendon Fezzey along with junior Lucas Romaguera tallied single goals for UC San Diego.

Buzov and freshman Landon Akerstrom both logged three steals.

Junior goalie Logan Estes had a solid performance in net for UC San Diego, making 14 saves, a new career high.

UC Irvine got two goals apiece from Thomas Cass and Luka Krstic as well as single scores from Jack Stevens and Gage Verdegaal. Cass also had four steals and two assists.

UCI held a 31-27 advantage in shots. The Tritons were five-for-14 (.357) in extra man situations, while the Anteaters were two-for-13 (.154).

------

HIGHLIGHT REEL


------

INTERVIEW WITH HEAD COACH MATT USTASZEWSKI


------

TRITON TIDBITS
• It was the second meeting between UC San Diego and UC Irvine this season. The Anteaters took a 10-9 win on Sept. 23 in an MPSF Invitational game in Los Angeles.
• Ante Buzov's first hat trick of the season came on Sept. 14 against Long Beach State, his first career game as a Triton.
• Logan Estes' previous record for saves in a game was 12.
• It was the eighth time this season that Estes hit a double-digit save total.
• Eleven players made their career debuts for the Tritons on Saturday, Sept. 2, during the Triton Invitational including Akerstrom, Jaime Bhattacharyya, Finn Bugelli, Emiliano Castro, Ferreira, Eamon Hennessey, Reef Lippa, Augi Macchi, Mason Presley, Nolan Roberts, and Lucas Romaguera.
• The Big West is sponsoring men's water polo for the first time in 32 years. Its last period with the sport was 1984-91.

------

UP NEXT
UC San Diego continues Big West action at Cal State Fullerton on Friday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. The next day, the Tritons host non-conference opponent Westcliff at 1 p.m.

------

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 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.