REDLANDS, Calif. – The seventh-ranked UC Irvine men's water polo team closed out the Inland Empire Classic with a 14-7 win over host Redlands Saturday evening at Thompson Aquatic Center.
 
The Bulldogs, who are the defending Division III national champions, struck first, but the Anteaters quickly responded, taking the lead for good with 6:13 remaining in the opening quarter. They went up by as many as nine in the fourth before Redlands got two back in the final minutes of the game.
 
The 'Eaters improved to 6-0, while the Bulldogs dropped to 1-7.
 
BY THE NUMBERS: Seniors Samuel Otta and Luka Krstic tied for the team lead with three goals each. Brothers Jasper Dale and Wyley Dale added two apiece, while Alex Lopez, Jack Stevens, Johann Thrall, and Jayson Hubbard also found the back of the net. Stevens contributed three assists and three steals.
 
Zayd Mahmoud earned his fifth start of the season, compiling six saves.
 
Seven different players scored for the Bulldogs. Goalkeeper Troy Barker finished with five saves and three steals.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: Redlands got on the board first but J. Dale responded for UC Irvine just 27 seconds later. That started an Anteater run that included a power play goal from Otta and Krstic's first tally of the evening. Stevens then capped the 4-1 rally to put UCI on top by two at the end of the first quarter.
 
The 'Eaters kept the momentum on their side in the second period with five unanswered goals giving them a 9-2 advantage with 3:47 left. The Bulldogs connected twice in the final three minutes to cut UC Irvine's halftime lead to 9-4.
 
It was a low-scoring third frame with the Anteaters accounting for two of the three goals scored. W. Dale found the back of the cage at the 7:01 mark and Otta struck again four-and-a-half minutes later to make it 11-4. The home team then scored on a 6-on-5 with 59 seconds on the clock.
 
The 'Eaters increased their margin to nine with a J. Dale goal sandwiched in between a pair of Krstic strikes in the first three-plus minutes of the fourth. Redlands countered again with a couple late tallies as UCI came away with the 14-7 victory.
 
UP NEXT: UC Irvine will head to top-ranked UCLA next Friday, Sept. 12, before hosting No. 2 USC on Saturday, Nov. 13.
 
NOTES
• UC Irvine is 6-0 for the first time since 2014.
• UCI's 14 goals were a season low.
• The Anteaters have had at least one player record a hat trick in all six games this season.
• They have also had seven different players lead (including co-leaders) the team in scoring.
• The 'Eaters have held each of their last four opponents to eight goals or less.
 
 
#7 UC Irvine 14, Redlands 7
September 6, 2025  |  Thompson Aquatic Center (Redlands, Calif.)

UCI       4 – 5 – 2 – 3 = 14
UR        2 – 2 – 1 – 2 = 7

SCORING:
UCI – Luka Krstic 3, Samuel Otta 3, Jasper Dale 2, Wyley Dale 2, Alex Lopez 1, Jack Stevens 1, Johann Thrall 1, Jayson Hubbard 1

UR – Camilo Solis 1, Tim Jensen 1, Lennon Franklin 1, Harrison DeCourcy 1, Brady Bailey 1, Michael Villagran 1, Matthew Wheeler 1

SAVES:
UCI – Zayd Mahmoud 6
 
UR – Troy Barker 5