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IRVINE, Calif. – Jon Polos had a career-best three-goal performance as the 10^th-ranked UCI men's water polo team defeated No. 20 Loyola Marymount, 10-8, in the final game of the GCC vs. WWPA Conference Challenge Cup, Saturday afternoon at Anteater Aquatics Complex.
 
With the win, the Anteaters move to 3-3 on the season. LMU falls to 2-4 overall. UCI finished the Conference Challenge Cup 1-1 after falling to UCSD earlier in the day.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
> Jason Evezard had a game-high four goals
> Polos tallied a hat trick,  scoring three goals
> Casey Lynton, Jack Trush and Zlatan Nikocevic each had one goal
> Byron Rivers played all 32 minutes in goal, grabbing 11 saves and two steals
> Blazo Mitrovic and Dayne Jagga led LMU with two goals each
> Robert Halligan made 11 saves in goal for the Lions
> UCI out-shot LMU 37-31
> The 'Eaters couldn't convert on a single extra-man situation, finishing 0-of-6
> LMU went 6-of-16 on powerplays
> UCI held the advantage in steals 11-5
 
TURNING POINTS
> The Anteaters scored early with a goal from Polos but LMU quickly answered to knot the game, 1-1
> Trush and Evezard notched back-to-back goals to give UCI a 3-1 lead with 4:25 left in quarter one
> The Lions scored two-straight to make it 3-3 with just under a minute to play but Bryant Joudrie found Polos for a goal to give the 'Eaters the edge, 4-3, after the first quarter
> LMU gained its first lead after notching back-to-back goals to open the second quarter
> UCI stormed back with goals from Nikocevic and Lynton to knot the game, 5-5, with 4:25 to play in the second frame
> The Lions tallied another goal but Evezard scored on a five-meter penalty shot to give UCI a 7-6 lead at halftime
> The Anteaters out-scored LMU 3-1 in the third quarter, taking a 10-7 lead
> Evezard had two goals the frame
> The LMU defense held UCI scoreless in the fourth frame but the Anteaters pulled out the 10-8 win
 
NOTES:
> It was Jon Polos' first career hat trick
> Evezard has scored a hat trick in five of UCI's six games this season
> Evezard leads the roster with 20 goals
> The Anteaters improve to 18-8 all-time against LMU
 
UP NEXT: UCI returns to action tomorrow at the Inland Empire Classic. The Anteaters play Pomona-Pitzer at 9 a.m. followed by Redlands at 1:20 p.m