No. 8 Pepperdine (17-10, 2-1 GCC) at
No. 6 UC Irvine (11-8, 2-1 GCC)
Date: Friday, Nov. 3
Time: 7 p.m. (PDT)
Location: Anteater Aquatics Complex - Irvine, Calif.

THIS WEEK
The sixth-ranked UC Irvine men's water polo team continues its four-game homestand this week as it welcomes No. 8 Pepperdine to Anteater Aquatics Complex for a 7 p.m. Golden Coast Conference showdown on Friday, Nov. 3.
 
This is a pivotal game in regards to the GCC standings as the 'Eaters and Waves are currently tied for second with a 2-1 record. Both teams are right behind Pacific, which sits in first at 3-0.
 
SCOUTING THE WAVES
No. 8 Pepperdine (17-10, 2-1 GCC) won three games last weekend, defeating San Jose State, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Pomona-Pitzer. Junior Marko Asic leads the Waves with 59 goals, while senior Mark Urban has registered 41 goals and a team-best 31 assists. Senior Zach Rhodes has played a majority of the minutes in the cage, totaling 265 saves and a 6.61 goals against average.
 
UC Irvine is 6-4 in its last 10 meetings with Pepperdine. The two teams squared off earlier this year in the seventh-place game of the Mountain Pacific Invitational in Los Angeles (Sept. 24). The 'Eaters came out on top, 8-7, as Ian Fleenor scored the game-winner with 46 seconds left in sudden-victory overtime. Robby Stiefel and Lovre Milos paced UCI with two goals apiece, and Matej Matijevic finished with 15 saves.
 
ANTEATER GIVEAWAYS
Thanks to the generous donation of a UC Irvine booster, the fan experience at home games will be bolstered by four premier promotional giveaways. There are two giveaways remaining on the schedule with a long sleeve shirt vs. Pepperdine on Nov. 3 and a snapback hat vs. UC San Diego on Nov. 8. In addition, food will be given to the first 200 fans in attendance at all home games, except for the Nov. 8 contest.
 
All home games are complimentary, but fans are required to register online for the promotional items. Pre-registration does not guarantee fans an item and/or food, as they will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis to those who have pre-registered.
 
GCC TOURNAMENT COMING TO IRVINE
UC Irvine is set to host the 2017 Golden Coast Conference Tournament from Nov. 17-19, at Anteater Aquatics Complex. Pepperdine defeated Pacific in the championship game of last year's first-ever GCC Tournament in Stockton. The conference, which includes UCI, Long Beach State, Pacific, Pepperdine, San Jose State and UC Santa Barbara was formed in 2016.
 
STAT LEADERS
As of Oct. 30, senior Lovre Milos ranked third in the Golden Coast Conference with 55 goals, and freshman Fynn Schuetze was ninth (36). Senior Matej Matijevic also ranked second with 249 saves.
 
LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine split a pair of games last week, edging No. 10 UC Santa Barbara, 10-9, in a GCC match, before dropping a non-conference contest to fourth-ranked Stanford, 11-5. Against the Gauchos, senior Lovre Milos connected on a power play with 34 seconds remaining in regulation for the eventual game-winner. Senior Kyle Trush led the Anteaters with a season-high three goals, while junior Jack Trush and freshman Fynn Schuetze added two each. Senior goalkeeper Matej Matijevic totaled 15 saves and four steals.
 
Two days later, UCI was unable to slow down a streaking Stanford team that picked up its 11th-straight win. The 'Eaters were up by two in the second quarter before the Cardinal came back with four unanswered to take a lead it would not relinquish. Kyle Trush again had a team-high three goals, to go along with an assist and two steals. Matijevic chipped in 13 saves, an assist and a steal.
 
LENA COLLECTS WEEKLY HONORS
Senior Antoine Lena was named both the Golden Coast Conference Player of the Week and the D1 Men's Water Polo HERO of the Week following his game-winner in UC Irvine's 9-8 victory over top-ranked UCLA on Sept. 30. With the score knotted at 8-8 in the final minutes of regulation, Lena came up big for the 'Eaters, firing to the near side of the cage for the go-ahead goal with 39 seconds on the clock. The native of Marseille, France, finished the afternoon with a season-high three goals, including two in the fourth period. It was the first GCC Player of the Week award for Lena and the Anteaters this season.
 
NEWS AND NOTES
The 'Eaters remained at No. 6 in the CWPA Top-20 Poll, and came in at No. 7 in the latest USA Water Polo National Collegiate Rankings.
 
Senior Lovre Milos has led UC Irvine in scoring in 12 of the team's 19 games. He has netted at least four goals on eight occasions, including at Cal Baptist where he scored a season-high seven. Milos is tops on the team with 55 goals, 19 assists and 31 steals.
 
Senior goalkeeper Matej Matijevic has started every game, totaling 249 saves in 580 minutes played. He has double-digit saves in 16 outings, and matched his career high of 18 three times this year, most recently in a 13-4 win against San Jose State (Oct. 6).
 
Freshman Fynn Schuetze ranks second on the squad with 36 goals. He struck three times in his collegiate debut against Fresno Pacific, while leading all scorers with four goals in a win over top-ranked UCLA (Sept. 30), and three vs. then No. 2 USC (Sept. 23). Schuetze also netted a season-high five goals at Cal Baptist on Sept. 20.
 
Seniors Antoine Lena and Robby Stiefel have been steady all-around for the 'Eaters. In 19 games, Lena has recorded 19 goals, 13 assists and 22 steals, while Stiefel has 14 goals, 13 assists and 26 steals.
 
Junior Jack Trush has 20 goals with 11 of them coming in three games. He converted three times in wins over Loyola Marymount and San Jose State, while he also matched his career high with five goals against Concordia on Sept. 15.
 
Senior defender Kyle Trush has scored six goals over the last two games to give him 15 on the year. He missed the first six contests, but has been a steady force on the defensive end since his return to the pool. In Trush's 13 outings, the Anteaters have allowed 9.15 goals per game, while playing 10 matches against top-10 teams, including two that were ranked No. 1.
 
UCI had a season-long six-game win streak from Sept. 3-22, and during that stretch, the 'Eaters outscored their opponents, 88-33.
 
UP NEXT
UC Irvine wraps up the regular season at home next week when it entertains UC San Diego on Wednesday, Nov. 8, and GCC foe Long Beach State on Friday, Nov. 10. First sprint for both matches will be at 7 p.m. at Anteater Aquatics Complex.