Balanced Scoring Lifts UCI Over Westcliff, 24-12

Saturday, October 19

Irvine, CA

12 p.m.

UC Irvine

12-7

Westcliff

6-15

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Westcliff	3	3	4	2	12
UC Irvine	8	7	4	5	24

Balanced Scoring Lifts UCI Over Westcliff, 24-12

October 19, 2024 | Men's Water Polo

Box Score

By: Jordan Kehoe

IRVINE, Calif. – Fourteen different Anteaters found the back of the cage in the 24-12 victory over Westcliff inside the Anteater Aquatics Complex in a Saturday matinee.

Tyler Padua, Gage Verdegaal, and Ethan Spoon all notched hat-tricks in the contest to pace UCI's scoring effort.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Johann Thrall, Brody Luke, Ben Youngblood, and Wyley Dale rounded out the multi-goal scorers for the 'Eaters with two apiece
Samuel Otta, Cole Francisco, Alex Lopez, Jack Stevens, Keegan McGann, Maddox McEwen, and Jasper Dale each contributed a goal
UCI out shot Westcliff, 49-30
Senior Zayd Mahmoud played the first period in the cage where he blocked three shots
Senior Aidan Byrne recorded six saves in 24 minutes
J. Dale, Padua, Thrall, and Jackson Matos dished out two assists each
Otta recorded a game high four drawn exclusions
Westcliff was led by Manuel Augusto who recorded four goals and three drawn exclusions

SCORING BREAKDOWN

First period: No. 9/10 UC Irvine started off hot as Tyler Padua (7:50) netted the first goal of the contest just ten seconds in. Westcliff quickly answered at 7:35 to equalize. The Anteaters then strung together a 6-0 run over the next seven minutes to reclaim the lead. A deep shot from Brody Luke (0:22) was in between two Warrior scores for the 8-3 lead.
- Padua (2), Luke (1), Otta (1), Spoon (1), Stevens (1), Thrall (1), and Verdegaal (1)
Second period: UCI picked up where they left off with a barred in shot from Keegan McGann (7:04) before the Warriors had a response at 5:17. Gage Verdegaal (3:33, 2:54) went back-to-back with an outside banger and bounce into the far post. Westcliff converted the five-meter then Samuel Otta fed Padua (1:49) in the center and Alex Lopez (1:14) went cross cage. The Anteaters found the back of the net twice in the final 38 seconds to take a 15-6 advantage into the half.
- Verdegaal (2), Lopez (1), McGann (1), Padua (1), Spoon (1), and Thrall (1)
Third period: Just 12 seconds into the new half, Cole Francisco (7:48) buried a dagger from far out and then 30 seconds later Ethan Spoon blasted one into the far side of the goal. Westcliff poured in three unanswered (5:35, 2:06, 1:36) until Wyley Dale halted the run at 0:52 with his penalty shot make. Ben Youngblood placed the ball into the nearside of the cage as time expired to end the period up 19-10.
- W. Dale (1), Francisco (1), Spoon (1), and Youngblood (1)
Fourth period: Youngblood went again at 6:42, Luke ripped in center at 6:00, and Jasper Dale netted one at 4:59 as part of a three-goal run for UCI. The Anteaters responded to a two-goal spurt from Westcliff with two of their own at 3:11 and 2:25 for the 24-12 victory.
- J. Dale (1), Luke (1), McEwen (1), Youngblood (1)

UP NEXT
No. 9/10 UC Irvine continues their homestand with a conference meeting with No. 16/15 UC Santa Barbara (Oct. 26) and a rematch with No. 5/9 Pepperdine (Oct. 27).