IRVINE, Calif. – In a game that saw several ties, leads, and comebacks, the UC Irvine men's water polo team fell short to No. 2 USC, 12-10 on Sunday afternoon.
Freshman
Gage Verdegaal and junior
Tyler Padua notched hat-tricks in the match, tying the game-high for goals scored.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Verdegaal recorded his second hat-trick of the weekend with his three early goals in the contest
- Padua's three tallies are a season high
- Dylan Patist was the third Anteater to have a multigoal game, scoring two
- Patist also led the squad with assists dishing out three
- Jacob Pyle made seven saves in the contest, playing all 32 minutes in the cage
- Samuel Otta and Ethan Shipman each dished out the ball two times
- Otta has extended his scoring streak to seven games while Stewart Campbell moves to five straight
- Both squads each committed 11 exclusions while taking 26 shots
- UCI has scored the first goal in every game for seven consecutive games
- No. 2 USC was led by Max Miller who recorded three goals on three shots and Tom McGuire with six assists
SCORING BREAKDOWN
- First period: UC Irvine was able to convert at the cage after going up a man both times in the opening two possessions. No. 2 USC brought it back within one and then tallied two more to knot the game at three-all after the Anteaters third goal at 5:27.
- Verdegaal (2) and Padua (1)
- Third period: Both the Anteaters and Trojans went back and forth on the attacking ends before UCI scored three straight goals due to No. 2 USC miscues to close out the action with a 8-8 deadlock.
- Campbell (1), Otta (1), Padua (1), Patist (1), and Verdegaal (1)
- Fourth period: UCI took the quick lead off the exclusion and red card given to the Trojan player, but No. 2 USC responded with three consecutive goals to reclaim control. The Anteaters were able to fire off for on more goal in the final two minutes.
UP NEXT
UC Irvine will resume action against No.17 Brown next Sunday Sept. 17 at 10 a.m. at the Anteater Aquatics Complex.
