LA JOLLA, Calif. — Brendon Fezzey scored with 28 seconds left in the game to lift No. 12 UC San Diego to an 11-10 win against No. 6 UC Davis in a Big West game Saturday afternoon at Canyonview Aquatic Center.
The Tritons moved to 14-12 overall, and, more importantly, improved to 3-2 in the Big West. The Aggies dropped to 15-9 on the season and 3-2 in the conference. It was the final regular season conference game for both squads.
With two more Big West games to be played tonight, UC San Diego is tied with UC Davis for second place. First-place UC Irvine (3-1) is at sixth-place Cal State Fullerton (0-4), while Long Beach State (2-2) hosts UC Santa Barbara (2-2). The Beach and the Gauchos are tied for fourth going into tonight's tilt.
All six Big West teams qualify for the conference tournament, which will be hosted by UC San Diego Nov. 17-19.
HOW IT HAPPENED
With UC San Diego on a power play, Triton
Miles Wilson floated a pass from deep inside the attack zone across the Aggies' cage that was touched by two UC Davis players, including goalie Aaron Wilson. The ball fell to the water in front of Fezzey at center, who punched it in from about three meters out to put his team in front and essentially seal the victory.
The game-winner wasn't Fezzey's first goal of the game either, it was his fourth, a new single game career high for the sophomore. He also found the net once in the first quarter before erupting for three in the final period, the first of which tied the score at 8-8 and the second that evened it again at 10-10.
Trailing 10-8, UC San Diego scored the final three goals of the game.
Lucas Romaguera kicked it off by making good on a five-meter penalty shot before Fezzey tied it and then closed the door.
The Tritons led 3-1 after one quarter of play, but the Aggies outscored them 5-2 in the second frame to take a 6-5 lead heading into halftime. In the third quarter, both teams scored twice, making it 8-7 UC Davis.Â
Romaguera and
Bennett Axline each scored twice for UC San Diego in the game. Axline also totaled six drawn exclusions.
Landon Akerstrom,
Eamon Hennessey, and
Kaden Likins all had single goals. Likins added three assists, giving him a team-high 38 helpers for the season. In fact, the senior captain now leads the Tritons in points with 67.
UC San Diego goalie
Logan Estes made nine saves in a complete game effort.
UC Davis was led in goal production by Logan Anderson, who finished with a hat trick. Holden Neach had a team-high four points on two goals and a pair of assists. Aleix Aznar Beltran had two goals and an assist.
UC San Diego had a 32-27 lead in shots. The Tritons were just 1-for-12 on the power play, but the one that they did convert was a big one. Three of UC San Diego's goals were the result of successful five-meter penalty shots.
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HIGHLIGHT REEL
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INTERVIEW WITH BRENDON FEZZEY AND ARMAN MOMDZHYAN
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TRITON TIDBITS
•
Brendon Fezzey's previous high for goals in a game was 3 against Navy earlier this season.
• It was the third game-winning goal of the season for Fezzey.
• The last six games between the Tritons and Aggies have been one-goal decisions.
•
Kaden Likins has now recorded multiple assists in 12 games this year.
•
Landon Akerstrom has scored in his last five outings.
• UC San Diego is out-scoring its opponent 319-269 so far this season.
• Assistant coach Arman Momdzhyan served as acting head coach as Matt Ustaszewski is currently with the U.S. Men's National Team at the Pan-American Games in Chile.
• 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.
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UP NEXT
UC San Diego remains in La Jolla for its final two regular season games, both non-conference affairs. The Tritons host Biola on Nov. 9 and Chapman on Nov. 11. Tickets can be purchased through the
Triton Box Office.
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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 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.
