On Friday, No. 13 UC San Diego men’s water polo (14–10, 2–2 Big West) faced off against No. 14 UC Santa Barbara (14–10, 1–3 Big West) at Canyonview Aquatic Center. Entering the game, the Tritons held an 8–2 home record — the best in the Big West — and were resolute in defending home waters. The Tritons dominated the Gauchos from the opening sprint, scoring 10 goals in the first half on their way to a blowout 16–8 win.
UCSD’s defense held firm, courtesy of standout goalkeeping from senior Logan Estes and crucial blocks from on-point defenders. Offensively, the Tritons never trailed in the game, netting 16 of their 22 shot attempts on their way to a commanding victory.
In the first quarter, UCSD won the opening sprint, and junior utility player Bennett Axline scored immediately to put the Tritons on the board 1–0. Two possessions later, redshirt sophomore utility player Mark Laurland fired a shot into the top right corner, extending the Tritons’ lead to 2–0. After the Gauchos scored on a six-on-five, the Tritons answered with a power-play goal of their own. As “Baby Shark” played over the speakers, the Triton student section came alive, sensing the home team had seized control of the game.
Later in the first, the Tritons earned a five-meter shot that senior attacker Lucas Romaguera converted into another UCSD goal, increasing the lead to 4–1. On the other end, UCSB had a six-on-five opportunity, but the Tritons turned them away with a huge block, leading to a fast break and a two-point swing. Estes launched the ball down the pool to junior utility player Luca Rago, who ripped the ball into the back of the net. The Tritons held a 5–1 lead as the first quarter wound down, but UCSB struck back and added two goals late in the period — including one with just 22.7 seconds on the clock — to cut the lead to 5–3.
In the second quarter, the Tritons won the sprint and immediately scored again, this time courtesy of sophomore attacker Landon Akerstrom. This opening goal set the tone for the Tritons to, once again, dominate throughout the period. The Gauchos responded a few possessions later to cut the lead to 6–4, but then came the Triton onslaught.
UCSD drew an exclusion on the possession following the Gauchos’ goal, and head coach Matt Ustaszewski called a timeout to set up the offense. He drew up the perfect play, and senior attacker Felipe Ferreira skipped a shot into the bottom right corner of the cage, extending the Tritons’ lead to 7–4. The Tritons drew their second five-meter of the game on the next possession, and Romaguera converted once more.
Romaguera then scored his third goal of the game, increasing the lead to 9–4. After the Gauchos shortened the lead to 9–5, the Tritons promptly earned their third five-meter of the game and senior utility player Eamon Hennessey scored to put the Tritons back up to 10–5 at halftime.
The third quarter began just like the first two, with the Tritons winning the opening sprint. For the first time all night, UCSD could not convert on their opening possession, but Estes responded with two acrobatic saves on one possession to turn away the Gauchos. Estes was en route to a lights-out performance, holding the Gauchos to a deplorable 8-for-33 shooting effort.
Midway through the third, junior utility player Brendon Fezzey broke the scoring drought. With three defenders draped all over him, Fezzey caught a pass in front of the cage and ripped the ball into the net. Moments later, senior utility player Ante Buzov delivered a skip shot into the right side of the cage to put the Tritons up 12–5 with 3:57 left in the quarter. UCSB scored soon after and had a chance to cut the Tritons’ lead to 12–7. However, UCSD made a key defensive stop that led to a transition goal for freshman attacker Christian Hammonds. With the Tritons leading 13–6, the student section sensed victory and began taunting UCSB’s goalkeeper.
Romaguera scored again with less than three seconds remaining in the quarter, and the student section gave the Gauchos’ goalkeeper an earful for allowing 14 goals in three quarters. The impassioned students showed no mercy toward UCSB’s goalkeeper for the remainder of the game.
The fourth quarter went nearly four minutes without a goal, until UCSB scored with 4:24 left in the game to make the score 14–7. Senior utility player Rhys Bugelli answered with a skip shot goal to extend the Tritons’ lead to 15–7.
Triton fans continued to heckle the Gauchos’ goalkeeper, while the Tritons in the pool drew another five-meter shot to expand UCSD’s lead to 16–7, putting the final nail in the coffin.
UCSB scored the game’s final goal in garbage time, but the Tritons won 16–8 in dominating fashion. UCSD left the Gauchos with nothing more than a cardio session, as the Tritons surpassed the Gauchos for fourth place in the Big West standings.
The Tritons will look to extend their win streak to three on the road against UC Davis on Saturday, Nov. 9 in what will be UCSD’s final conference game before the Big West playoffs. The Tritons will return to Canyonview Aquatic Center on Nov. 14 for Senior Night against Westcliff.
