IRVINE, Calif. - UC Irvine men's water polo team fell to UC San Diego, 11-8, in the opening round of the Big West Championship on Friday afternoon at Anteater Aquatics Complex. 

The 'Eaters and Tritons traded goals over the first period to end it tied up, 2-all. The Big West rivals once again went goal-for-goal to start the second, leaving it tied up, 4-all, at the 5:22 mark. The 'Eaters netted back-to-back goals at the 2:08 mark to take the 6-4 lead. The Tritons got one back to end the half with the Anteaters holding the edge, 6-5. The Tritons outscored the 'Eaters, 6-2, in the second half to secure the 11-8 victory.

BY THE NUMBERS: Senior Luka Krstic led the 'Eaters with three goals followed by Junior Johann Thrall with two tallies. 

Wyley Dale, Jasper Dale, and Gage Verdegaal each added one goal. 

Ante Buzov led the Tritons with three goals. 

HOW IT HAPPENED: The Tritons struck first on the power play to take a 1-0 lead at the 4:01 mark. Luka Krstic found the back of the net on the man advantage to tie it up, 1-all, at the 3:49 mark. UCSD netted one at the 1:02 mark to take the lead, 2-1. Wyley Dale capitalized on the power play with just 0:05 left to tie it up, 2-all, at the end of the first. 

Jasper Dale found the back of the net at the 7:42 mark to take the lead, 3-2. The Tritons tied it back up at the 6:52 mark before Johann Thrall took advantage of a power play to retake the lead, 4-3, at the 6:20 mark. UC San Diego found the equalizer at the 5:22 mark to tie it back up, 4-all. Thrall netted his second of the period on a five meter attempt to take the lead, 5-4, at the 5:06 mark. Krstic added a tally at the 2:08 mark to increase the 'Eaters lead, 6-4. The Tritons got one back with 0:17 left to cut the lead to one, 6-5, at the end of the half. 

The Tritons didn't allow a goal in the third and outscored the 'Eaters, 5-0. Their first tally came at the 6:48 mark before they added one on the power play at the 4:11 mark to take the lead, 7-6. They took advantage of a breakaway on a UCI turnover at the 3:50 mark before adding another at the 2:54 mark to increase their lead, 9-6. The Tritons found the back of the net at the 0:42 mark to add to their lead, 10-6, at the end of the third. 

The Tritons added a tally at the 4:02 mark to increase their lead, 11-6. Krstic converted on the five meter attempt and completed the hat trick at the 1:33 mark to cut the lead, 11-7. Gage Verdegaal added a tally on the power play with just 0:01 left to end it, 11-8.