IRVINE, Calif. --- Senior Trent Baxter scored a career-high six goals as No. 6 UC Irvine held off seventh-ranked Long Beach State, 13-12, in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation game at Anteater Pool Thursday night.

Nick Pfeil and Brian Pickford added two goals each as the 'Eaters improved to 14-9 overall and 2-4 in the MPSF.

Aleksandar Petrovic led the 49ers (14-7, 1-4) with six goals in the closely-contested "Black & Blue" Rivalry game.

After a 6-6 halftime draw, UCI received consecutive goals from Pickford (6:18), Max Parrague (5:19) and another by Pickford (2:41) to go up 9-6 in the third period. The 'Eaters maintained at least a two-goal lead the remainder of the quarter and led 11-9 entering the final period.

Baxter's sixth goal of the game with 7:31 left gave UCI a 12-9 lead, but back-to-back goals from Nick Rascon (6:21) and Devin Mefford (5:23) drew the 49ers within 12-11.

Pfeil scored a power-play goal with 4:23 remaining for a 13-11 margin before Petrovic scored with 3:58 left to pull Long Beach State within 13-12 on the final goal of the night.

UCI gained possession with 34 seconds remaining and ran out the clock for the key conference victory.

The 'Eaters host No. 4 Stanford in an MPSF game Sunday at 12 noon.


Long Beach State      4 – 2 – 3 – 3 --- 12
UC Irvine                  3 – 3 – 5 – 2 --- 13

LBSU:  Aleksandar Petrovic 6, Nick Rascon 3, Dan Matulis 2, Devin Mefford.

UCI:  Trent Baxter 6, Nick Pfeil 2, Brian Pickford 2, Jacob Mourer, Max Parrague, Mitch Wise.

Saves:  John Mroch (LBSU) 2;  Michael Bailey (UCI) 4, Jimmy Friedrich (UCI) 4.

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