UC Irvine
UC Santa Barbara
'Eaters Downed by UC Santa Barbara, 12-10
November 12, 2011 | Men's Water Polo
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. --- UC Irvine fell to host UC Santa Barbara, 12-10, in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation game Saturday afternoon.
The contest featured the two teams that were tied for No. 5 in this week's national poll.
Senior Trent Baxter scored a game-high three goals for the 'Eaters (15-11, 2-6 MPSF) in their regular-season finale. Alan Robertson and Winston Newland added a pair of goals each.
The teams were tied 2-2 after the opening quarter but UCSB (15-9, 3-4) scored the first three goals of the second period to take a lead it would never relinquish.
UCI scored back-to-back goals within three minutes to begin the second half to pull within 7-5.
After the Gauchos scored to extend their lead to 8-5, goals by Robertson and Baxter pulled the 'Eaters to within 8-7.
UCSB gained a three-goal lead on consecutive scores before Nick Pfeil scored to cut the deficit to 10-8 entering the final period.
UCI's Brian Pickford scored at the 4:30 mark of the fourth quarter to pull the 'Eaters within 10-9, but UCSB's Chase Racich and Derek Shoemaker tallied goals to extend the Gauchos' lead to three before Winston Newland of UCI closed out the scoring with 16 seconds left.
Jimmy Friedrich had 10 saves in goal for UCI.
The MPSF Tournament is at UCLA Nov. 25-27.
UC Irvine 2 – 1 – 5 – 2 --- 10
UC Santa Barbara 2 – 5 – 3 – 2 --- 12
UCI: Trent Baxter 3, Alan Robertson 2, Winston Newland 2, Brian Pickford, Mitch Wise, Nick Pfeil.
UCSB: Brian Shoemaker 2, Derek Shoemaker 2, Eric Van de Mortel 2, Chase Racich 2, Lazar Komadinic, Scott Bishop, Nick Tomasello, Jake Miller.
Saves: Jimmy Friedrich (UCI) 10; Jay Lovero (UCSB) 8, Myles Christian (UCSB) 3.
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