GOLETA, Calif. — Sixth-ranked UC San Diego saw its seven-game win streak come to an end Saturday as it was edged, 11-10, at 12th-ranked UC Santa Barbara.
The Tritons fell to 16-6 overall while the Gauchos improved to 15-10. It was the first Big West game of the season for both teams.
UCSB never trailed in the game but UC San Diego knotted the score on three occasions.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Gaucho Luke Redoutey scored the game's first goal just 26 seconds in. Just 30 seconds later, the Tritons tied it up for the first time when
Eamon Hennessey found the back of the net on a five-meter penalty shot.
At 6:17, UCSB went back in front when Sam McKenzie scored. His goal ignited a 4-1 run that had the Gauchos ahead 5-2 after Brock Zamanian scored with 5:58 left in the second quarter. UC San Diego drew within one when
Bennett Axline and
Christian Hammonds scored back-to-back, but UC Santa Barbara closed out the first half with two goals from Danilo Dragovic, which gave the Gauchos a 7-4 advantage heading into the break.Â
The Tritons caught fire and scored the first three goals of the third quarter, tying the game at 7-7, the first time it was even since 1-1.
Brendon Fezzey started the string on a power play and was followed by
Grant Kurtz, who scored twice in a 56 second span. At 1:56 of the third, Dragovic struck again, converting a penalty shot to put the Gauchos back up 8-7. Axline tied it back up at 8-8 25 seconds later, but Landon Lassahn scored on a power play to give UCSB a 9-8 lead going into the fourth stanza.
The teams traded goals in the fourth with each scoring twice. The first four minutes were quiet as far as goals go. The Gauchos struck first when Camren Simoncelli put one in at 4:13. A minute later,
Lucas Romaguera got the Tritons back within one, but Zamanian struck again with 2:22 left, giving UCSB a two-goal cushion once again. Axline scored his third of the game with 1:31 on the clock, but that would prove to be the final goal of the game.
Axline and
Grant Kurtz combined for five of UC San Diego's 10 goals. Fezzey, Hammonds, Hennessey,
Mason Presley, and Romaguera all scored single goals for the Tritons. Kurtz also added an assist to finish with three points.
Mark Laurlund had the same point total as he dished out three assists.
Alex Hegeman made six saves in goal for UC San Diego.
Dragovic and Zamanian each recorded a hat trick and assisted on a goal. Levi Lantin had 10 saves for the Gauchos.
HEAD COACH MATT USTASZEWSKI
"Obviously we are disappointed to drop our opening conference game. We know how challenging the Big West is going to be this season, especially when playing on the road. We give tremendous credit to UC Santa Barbara. They opened the game with great energy and it took us some time to get into the rhythm of the game. We showed resiliency in the third quarter, and we will look to build upon those experiences. I'm proud of how we played during critical stretches of the second half, giving us a chance to send the game into overtime on the final possession."
TRITON TIDBITS
• UC San Diego's seven game win streak was its longest since 2019.
• The Tritons are 1-2 in Big West season openers.
• It was
Bennett Axline's ninth multiple goal game of the season. In five of those outings he had at least a hat trick.
•
Mark Laurlund has assisted on multiple goals in seven games this season.
• The game was played at Dos Pueblos High School.
UP NEXT
UC San Diego plays host to two games next week. On Oct. 17 Big West opponent Long Beach State visits Canyonview Aquatic Center while Princeton is in town the next night. Both games are slated for 6 p.m. starts.
Game tickets are available for purchase online by visiting the linkÂ
HERE or by calling (858) 534-1430. For more ticket information, e-mail the box office atÂ
triton-tix@ucsd.edu.
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.
