IRVINE, Calif. - No. 19 UC Irvine fell to No. 9 UC Davis, 15-12, in the Big West opener on Friday night at Anteater Aquatics Complex.
The Aggies took a 2-0 lead and held control for most of the match. The 'Eaters got two back to pull within one, 3-2, at the end of the first. UCI and UCD traded goals over the second period which left the Anteaters trailing, 7-6, at the half. The Big West rivals went goal-for-goal once again in the third, which left Davis up, 11-10, heading into the final period of action. UC Davis outscored UC Irvine, 4-2, in the final frame to seal the loss, 15-12.
BY THE NUMBERS: Junior
Johann Thrall led the 'Eaters with four goals, while junior
Gage Verdegaal recorded the hat trick.
Junior
Wyley Dale added two tallies, while
Ethan Spoon,
Keegan McGann, and
Ben Atkinson each added one.
Thomas Kiesling led the Aggies with four goals.
HOW IT HAPPENED: The Aggies netted the first two of the game to take the lead at the 4:07 mark.
Ben Atkinson found the back of the net on the power play to cut the Aggie lead, 2-1, at the 1:38 mark. Davis netted another to increase their lead, 3-1, at the 0:55 mark.
Ethan Spoon scored the final goal of the quarter to put the 'Eaters within one, 3-2, at the end of the first.
Johann Thrall struck first for UCI to tie it up, 3-all, at the 6:25 mark. The Aggies netted one to regain the lead before
Gage Verdegaal found the back of the net with a man advantage to tie it up again, 4-all, at the 3:43 mark. Davis scored the next two to take the lead, 6-4, at the 1:58 mark. Verdegaal netted his second of the game to cut the deficit, 6-5, at the 1:32 mark. The Aggies scored one more before
Wyley Dale found the back of the net at the 0:38 mark to pull within one, 7-6, at the break.
The Aggies added the first tally before Thrall capitalized on the power play to put the 'Eaters back within one, 8-7, at the 5:47 mark.
Keegan McGann tied it up, 8-all, before UCD capitalized on a power play of their own to regain the lead at the 4:49 mark. W. Dale netted his second of the night before Davis scored the next two to increase their lead, 11-9. Thrall secured the hat trick on the power play and added the final tally of the period to cut the deficit, 11-10, at the horn.
UC Davis struck first before Verdegaal earned the hat trick with the man advantage to put the Anteaters within one (12-11) at the 5:17 mark. The Aggies scored the next two to widen their lead, 14-11, at the 3:57 mark. Thrall found the back of the net one more time before UCD notched the last tally of the game to seal it, 15-12.
UP NEXT: The 'Eaters return to Anteater Aquatics Complex as they host No. 13 Princeton on Wednesday Oct. 15 at 6 p.m.
