A Triton fan might have to look past the score to appreciate the Oct. 24 men’s water polo game between No. 2 Stanford and No. 8 UCSD at Canyonview Pool, which resulted in the ninth loss of the season for the Tritons after a 15-7 battle. Despite the margin of difference in the final score, UCSD seemed to gain momentum as the match progressed. Junior Chris Finegold set a new school record for most ejections drawn in a game, while the rest of the Tritons stepped up defensively to cut the number of third quarter goals scored-against to three, and then to win the fourth quarter, 5-3.
This meeting marked the third time this season that the Cardinal have outplayed UCSD. In the first match, which took place Sept. 18 at the USC Tournament, the Tritons were downed, 15-6. Earlier this month, at the Oct. 2 NorCal Tournament hosted by University of Pacific, Stanford slipped away with its closest win over UCSD of the season, 14-8.
Sophomore utility Jesse Casellini scored the first UCSD goal of the game with 2:31 remaining in the first quarter, making the score 2-1 in Stanford’s favor and offering the Tritons a chance to knot the game at two goals per side. However, Stanford senior driver Tony Azevedo had only scored once by then.
Azevedo has been the leading scorer in each of the 2004 season matchups, notching five against the Tritons on Sept. 18, three more in the Oct. 2 game, and another five in the most recent engagement —four of which were scored in the first quarter, helping to give his team a decisive 5-1 advantage early in the competition.
The multifaceted Cardinal offense turned the attention from Azevedo after the first quarter in order to keep the Triton defense working hard. Junior driver Peter Varellas netted two goals in the second period that, complemented by two other unchallenged Stanford goals, contributed to a 9-1 halftime lead for the Cardinal.
Sophomore utility Joe Woodring scored for the Tritons midway through the third period, the only Triton goal of the quarter and his only shot of the match. Stanford was restricted to three scores in the third, giving the Cardinal their biggest lead of the game with a 10-point, 12-2 margin.
UCSD seemed to have decided to start playing the way it was accustomed to in the beginning of the fourth quarter. The Tritons outscored Stanford, 5-3, courtesy of a late-game hat trick by freshman driver Adnan Jerkovic and individual goals by freshman drivers Curtis Williamson and Jeff Hunt. By the time the game clock sounded the end of the match, UCSD had reduced the difference to eight, ultimately losing 15-7.
Finegold’s record for drawing seven ejections in a single game is noteworthy for the Tritons, who are typically able to effectively capitalize on man-up opportunities. If UCSD can use this sort of advantage more effectively in the future, the team will have an ace up its sleeve by the time of the Western Water Polo Association Championship, between Nov. 18 and Nov. 20 at UC Davis.
The Tritons continue their homestand with a noon game against No. 7 UC Irvine on Oct. 31 at Canyonview Pool. UCSD lost to the Anteaters by a 13-6 margin in their last matchup on Sept. 5 at the UCSD Triton Invitational. UC Irvine has been ranked higher than the Tritons for most of the 2004 season; however, a recent loss to previously lower-ranked WWPA opponent No. 6 Loyola Marymount cost the Anteaters three positions on the national poll.
