CLAREMONT, Calif. — The #12/13 UC San Diego men's water polo team scored 34 goals over two victories Friday at the Inland Empire Classic.

The Tritons first defeated Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 14-8 before rolling Cal Lutheran by a score of 20-9.

Both contests were played at Axelrood Pool on the campus of CMS.

The Tritons are now 5-3 overall 

The games were the first of the season on the road for UC San Diego.

AGAINST CLAREMONT-MUDD-SCRIPPS
In a commanding performance Saturday morning, #12/13 UC San Diego men's water polo triumphed over host Claremont-Mudd-Scripps with a score of 14-8 during the Inland Empire Classic at Axelrood Pool in the Inland Empire

UC San Diego held just a two-goal lead, 6-4, at the half. However, the Tritons out-scored the Stags 8-4 in the second half to run away with the win.

UC San Diego showcased its offensive prowess with a balanced scoring effort from several players.

Brendon Fezzey led the charge for the Tritons, netting three goals and tacking on an assist to finish with four points. Finn Bugelli and freshman Jackson Boettner each logged three points with a pair of goals and an assist. Bennett Axline, Eamon Hennessey produced two goals apiece, while Felipe Ferreira, Mason Presley, and Luca Rago netted single goals.

CMS standout Nick Kennedy scored three goals. Other contributors for the Stags included Jeffrey Koretz, Nelson Harris, Luke (Bear) Weigle, Gavin Netherton, and Stryker Scales, but it wasn't enough to close the gap against the Tritons.

In terms of goalkeeping, UC San Diego's Alex Hegeman made four saves in a complete game effort. For the Stags, Jake Taylor had an impressive game with nine saves.

AGAINST CAL LUTHERAN
In an impressive display of teamwork and skill in its second game of the day, UC San Diego triumphed over Cal Lutheran with a decisive 20-9 victory.

The Tritons showcased a powerful offense, with freshman Jackson Boettner leading the charge by scoring three goals and also dishing out an assist. Five other Tritons scored twice including Brendon Fezzey, Eamon Hennessey, Mark Laurlund, Lucas Romaguera, and Lachlan Rossi.

Hennessey added two assists to end his game with four points.

UCSD's ability to consistently find the back of the net was evident throughout the four quarters as they netted four goals in the first, six in the second, eight in the third, and two in the fourth.

Levi Cook stood out for the Kingsmen with three goals and Paul Patterson who added two. Despite their efforts, they were unable to match the offensive firepower displayed by the Tritons.

Alex Hegeman, who made eight saves, played a critical role in limiting Cal Lutheran's opportunities.

WHAT HEAD COACH MATT USTASZEWSKI HAD TO SAY
"It was a great opportunity for us to travel and play two games on the road. We were able to focus on some details from this past week's Triton Invitational and work through some of the early season inconsistencies. We got a great effort from a lot of players, including those new to the program, so we can look forward to continuing to progress and improve as a team each week."

TRITON TIDBITS
• Claremont-Mudd-Scripps is ranked #3/4 and Cal Lutheran is ranked #6/7 among NCAA Division III programs.
• It was the third time this season that UC San Diego scored at least 20 goals.
• Eamon Hennessey had four goals and two assists over the pair of games. He has scored at least once in all eight games thus far.
• Jackson Boettner's three goals vs. CLU gave him his first career hat trick.
• Alex Hegeman's eight saves against Cal Lutheran matched his career-high.
• Luca Rago scored once in each game today, running his scoring streak to three games.

UP NEXT
UC San Diego plays three matches next week, two on the road and one at home. On Sept. 12 the Tritons take on Concordia and Chapman at Cal State Fullerton's tournament. Two days later, UC San Diego hosts #4/5 Stanford in a Sunday matinee (12 p.m.). The game against the Cardinal will be the fourth against a top-seven team in 2025.

Season and single game tickets are available for purchase online by visiting the link HERE or by calling (858) 534-1430. For more ticket information, e-mail the box office at triton-tix@ucsd.edu.

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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.