LOS ANGELES – In a high scoring affair, ten different Anteaters found the back of the cage to lift No. 8/8 UC Irvine to a 17-15 victory over No. 20/20 California Baptist to close out the Big West-WCC Clash.
 
Sophomore Johann Thrall led all players with eight points in the contest, registering his second hat-trick of the weekend, and dished out a game best five assists.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Stewart Campbell also notched a hat-trick, his first of the season
• Cole Francisco, Ethan Shipman, and Jackson Matos each placed two in the back of the cage
• Thomas Cass, Luka Krstic, Gage Verdegaal, and Ethan Spoon rounded out the scoring with one goal apiece
• Jacob Pyle went the distance in cage for his fourth double figure save game of the season (11)
• Shipman dished out a team second best four assists
• No. 20/20 California Baptist was led by Bohdi Bowden who recorded five goals and one assist

 
SCORING BREAKDOWN

• First period: No. 20/20 California Baptist struck first on the nearside at 7:27 on their first possession. UCI then strung some passes together which put the ball in the hands of Johann Thrall (4:44) for the score. The Ethan Shipman to Ethan Spoon (3:26) connection came alive to knot the game 2-all before another goal from Thrall (2:21) and then a nearside strike from Stewart Campbell (1:40) kept the Anteaters ahead, 4-3.
  • Thrall (2), Campbell (1), and Spoon (1)
• Second period: No. 8/8 UC Irvine responded to the Lancer's game tying goal at 7:35 with three unanswered. The first came from Luka Krstic (5:42) as he converted the five-meter attempt and then Campbell (4:30, 3:28) notched the hat-trick with an upper left corner flick and lifting for a right-side dagger. CBU placed the ball into the cage, but Shipman (1:42) snuck the ball behind the goalie to close out the half up 8-5.
  • Campbell (2), Krstic (1), and Shipman (1)
• Third period: Every time the Anteaters scored, No. 20/20 California Baptist had two in response. UCI continued their scoring streak at 7:23 with a quick release off the left hand of Gage Verdegaal. At 5:19, Shipman placed the ball into the cage and then at 1:25 converted the five-meter shot. The Lancers closed with in one, 11-10, to end the period.
  • Francisco (1), Shipman (1), and Verdegaal (1)
• Fourth period: Both sides turned on the jets with their offense in the final eight minutes of action as UCI poured in six goals while CBU tallied five. Thrall remained as an offensive threat as he stole the ball for the goalkeeper juke out at 7:21 and then off another steal fed the ball into Cole Francisco (6:18) for the score. Jackson Matos (3:47, 1:52) registered two in less than two minutes to close out the Anteater scoring to keep them ahead for the 17-15 win.
  • Matos (2), Cass (1), Francisco (1), Padua (1), Thrall (1)

 
UP NEXT
UC Irvine returns to the Anteater Aquatic Complex for two games, the first a rematch with No. 6/5 California on Friday Sept. 27 at 1 p.m.