Anteaters Fall To Princeton On Sunday Afternoon

Sunday, October 15

Irvine, Calif.

12 p.m.

UC Irvine

11-7

Princeton

17-2

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Princeton	3	2	3	3	11
UC Irvine	4	1	3	1	9

Anteaters Fall To Princeton On Sunday Afternoon

October 15, 2023 | Men's Water Polo

Box Score

By: Jordan Kehoe

IRVINE, Calif. – The Anteaters dropped 11-9 to No. 6/7 Princeton in Sunday's matinee.

UC Irvine tied the contest at nine all with 2:29 remaining in the game but gave up two goals in the final two minutes off defensive miscues.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Sophomore Luka Krstic continued to lead the team on the scoring effort with his two goals
Krstic scored both of his goals in the third period
Junior Ethan Shipman was the other multi-goal scorer for UCI with two
Five other 'Eaters tallied one goal apiece
Junior Jacob Pyle made the start in the cage, recording four saves
Pyle also contributed an assist and two steals
Johann Thrall assisted on two UCI goals, a team best
Krstic, Jake Liechty, and Jack Stevens also had two steals each
Padua drew a game best five exclusions
No. 6/7 Princeton was led by George Caras who recorded three goals on four shots along with one assist and one steal

SCORING BREAKDOWN

First period: No. 9/9 UC Irvine went up 2-0 to start the action before No. 6/7 Princeton got on the board at 3:18. Each side scored two more in a call and answer way as UCI led into the first break, 4-3.
- Liechty (1), Padua (1), Shipman (1), and Stevens (1)
Second period: After forcing two shot clock violations, the Anteaters went on the attack which found Shipman burying the ball on the right side of the cage past the reaching Tigers goalkeeper. With 33 seconds left in the half, Princeton netted the equalizer, 5-5.
- Shipman (1)
Third period: Each side scored three goals in an ebb and flow period. Pyle stole the ball from the encroaching Tiger offensive player, threw the ball down the length of the pool for Krstic to deposit it into the cage. Verdegaal scored the last goal of the period for UCI to tie the game, 8-8.
- Krstic (2) and Verdegaal (1)
Fourth period: Padua drew the exclusion in the middle of the cage, setting up the 'Eaters lone scoring drive of the period that saw Cass put the ball into the net. UC Irvine succumbed to the offensive pressures of No. 6/7 Princeton late in the quarter giving up a five-meter penalty shot and one more goal in the final 30 seconds for the Tiger victory, 11-9.
- Cass (1)