UC Irvine Falls In First Round Of NCAA Championship

Friday, December 1

Los Angeles, CA

2 p.m.

UC Irvine

18-10

[4] Princeton University

28-5

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
UC Irvine	2	2	2	1	7
Princeton	3	4	3	2	12

UC Irvine Falls In First Round Of NCAA Championship

December 01, 2023 | Men's Water Polo

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Stacey Shackleford

PRESS CONFERENCE

LOS ANGELES. Calif. – UC Irvine saw fourth-seeded Princeton jump out to a quick 3-0 lead and couldn't catch the Tigers in a 12-7 loss in the first round of the NCAA Championship at Uytengsu Aquatics Center.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
>Freshman Johan Thrall, an All-Big West second team selection, led UCI with two goals upping his team-best season total to 50
>UCI also had a goal apiece from Jack Stevens, Stewart Campbell, Jake Liechty, Dylan Patist, Tyler Padua
>Ethan Shipman totaled two assists and Luka Krstic had two steals
>Jacob Pyle recorded eight saves in goal
>The Anteaters had 15 exclusions to Princeton's 5. UCI was 3-5 with a man advantage, while the Tigers were just 4-15
>UC Irvine ends the season 18-10 overall after capturing the Big West Championship and regular season titles as well as making its first NCAA appearance since 1993
>Princeton (28-5) was led by Vladan Mitrovic's three goals
>The Anteater defense, who held opponents to an average of 9.5 goals on the season, allowed 12, the most since Oct. 28 in an overtime contest against UC Davis.

HEAD COACH DAN KLATT SAID:
"Honestly 30 years of inexperience came to light in that game versus a team that is experienced in this tournament now. They have lost a couple of first round games and were poised and motivated to move on to the next round. We got out-hungered today. In reflection, I'm super proud of the team to get back to where they were. I don't think a single person outside of our camp would have picked us to be here when the season started. We came a long way to believe in that and make it happen and we will be back."

SCORING BREAKDOWN

First period: Princeton scored the first three goals of the contest, before Johann Thrall found the back of the net on a power play (2:15) and banged another off a defender and in as the shot clock was winding down (:55) to keep the Anteaters close, 2-3.
- Thrall (2)
Second period: Once again Princeton got out quickly with the first two goals of the period. Ethan Shipman found Jack Stevens at set for a goal (5:56) then Stewart Campbell fired a goal from the right side (4:48). A pair of Princeton goals rounded out the scoring, 4-7
- Stevens (1) and Campbell (1)
Third period: In between a pair of Princeton goals Jake Liechty scored up top (6:08). A Princeton goal at 3:58 was followed by a powerplay goal by Dylan Patist (0:54), 6-10
- Liechty (1), Patist (1)
Fourth period: After good defense on the opening possession, Tyler Padua had a goal at (7:09). Princeton would score twice to end the game, 7-12
- Padua (1)