Inspired by a raucous, sell-out crowd at the Canyonview Aquatic Center, No. 16 UC San Diego men’s water polo (7-8, 0-0 Big West) defeated the No. 15 Loyola Marymount University Lions (3-6, 0-0 WCC) 12-9 in Wednesday’s Battle of the Kings match.
After the Tritons raced to a 6-1 lead in the first quarter, senior goalkeeper Logan Estes’ nine-save performance helped maintain UCSD’s advantage. Junior utility player Bennett Axline led the Tritons with 3 goals, while redshirt sophomore Mark Laurlund added 3 assists to his team-high season total. This win ended a six-game losing streak for the Tritons.
Speaking with The Guardian after the game, Axline reflected on breaking the skid.
“It’s difficult to lose 6 games in a row, especially when we’re playing teams that we know we can beat and we know we can compete with. But I think it shows a lot about this team, you know, the adversity we fought through—losing 6 games—and then coming out here and showing that we can play these teams, and we can compete at the highest level.”
Wednesday’s match started well before the opening sprint, with Triton fans queuing 90 minutes before the 6 p.m. start. Canyonview Aquatic Center was full by 5:20 p.m., with some spectators forced to watch through the fence or from nearby balconies.
Those who caught a glimpse of the pool witnessed an enthralling opening quarter. Axline opened the scoring on a power play goal, assisted by a beautiful far-post cross from senior attacker Felipe Ferreira. An Estes parry led to the Tritons’ 2nd goal, a clean backhand finish by junior utility player Luca Rago.
While an LMU goal on the next possession briefly quieted the crowd, the party restarted when sophomore attacker Mason Presley blazed a shot into the net’s bottom corner. Senior utility player Ante Buzov made it 4-1 with his 3rd goal of the season, a floated ball over the outstretched arms of the Lions’ goalkeeper.
LMU’s first quarter woes only worsened when the Lions squandered a six-on-four power play. UCSD soon netted a 5th with a tip-in from Rago, assisted again by Laurland. The next Triton possession yielded a sublime 6th, as sophomore attacker Landon Akerstrom finished a one-on-one opportunity created by a pool-length pass from Estes. LMU’s final shot of the period hit the post and harmlessly drifted out of play, giving the Tritons an early five-goal advantage. The quarter was the Tritons’ highest scoring first quarter of the season.
Top scorer Axline credited the crowd with contributing to the team’s performance.
“It’s the best experience. We were talking about it at home, it’s almost the best atmosphere in
college water polo. It’s so exciting to see everybody here from school, you know, your friends, your family, everybody’s just excited. It’s a good night before the school year starts too. It really gets you pumped for the rest of the season.”
The second quarter seemed to promise more of the same for the Tritons. Axline converted a power play with 6 minutes left in the half, increasing UCSD’s lead to 7-1. However, 4 LMU goals in quick succession turned a probable blowout into a nerve-racking contest. A far-post goal from Laurland on the left wing calmed the Lions’ onslaught, ending the second quarter at 8-5. UCSD’s lead should have only been 2, but a diving Estes saved a sure LMU goal at the end of the half — sacrificing his face in the process.
Perhaps galvanized by the crowd’s halftime rendition of Chappell Roan’s “HOT TO GO!,” the Tritons got going quickly in the third. Ferreira netted his first goal on UCSD’s opening possession of the quarter, a skipped shot to the goalkeeper’s left. Turnovers from both teams made the third a cagey affair, with only 1 other goal — an LMU power play — scored in the period.
Good goalkeeping play from both teams stymied offensive success early in the fourth quarter. The Tritons’ breakthrough came on a power play slotted home by senior utility player Augi Macchi. However, 2 LMU goals narrowed the Tritons’ lead, the latter caused by an ill-timed UCSD offensive foul.
The Canyonview faithful were quickly relieved of their stress. Axline grabbed his third goal of the game in spectacular fashion, nestling a fade-away shot into the top corner with zeroes on the shot clock. Senior attacker Lucas Romaguera sealed the win with a right-handed goal across net, handing the Tritons a 12-8 lead with 90 seconds left. A late Lions goal did little to deter celebrations on the UCSD bench, and a sold-out crowd went home victorious.
The win against LMU may have been especially meaningful to Triton upperclassmen. The Lions have beaten UCSD in 4 of their last 5 meetings, including consecutive one-goal wins in 2022 and 2023. With Wednesday’s performance, the Tritons improved their all-time record against LMU to 10-8.
UCSD concluded their homestand this weekend with a 17-9 win against Concordia University Irvine and an 8-13 loss against the University of the Pacific. The Tritons will continue their first fully eligible Division I season by traveling north for the Gary Troyer Tournament in Orange, CA on Oct. 4 before heading home to face Air Force on Sunday, Oct. 6.
