LA JOLLA, Calif. – Three Tritons scored a pair of goals as the No. 12 UC San Diego men’s water polo team defeated Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, 11-6, in Western Water Polo Association action Tuesday evening at Canyonview Pool.
The win moves UCSD to 11-10 on the year. CMS moves back to .500 at 12-12.
Bryce Madsen, Ryan Allred and Graham Saber each scored twice and net-minder David Morton recorded 18 saves as UCSD jumped out to an early lead and then withstood a CMS rally to secure the win.
Dane Sequiera would be the first Triton to find the back of the net, scoring the first goal of the match less than 20 seconds in after Allred won the opening sprint. Madsen and Allred would each score a goal, making it 3-0 Tritons with 5:53 remaining in the first period. Brian Baier finally got CMS on the board, but Allred and Saber answered with goals, making it 5-1 at the end of the opening frame.
CMS would cut the lead to 5-3 by the 5:35 mark in the second period, however, another goal by Madsen would make the Triton lead three by the end of the half.
When Brian Donohoe scored a goal with 3:51 to play in the third period, it looked as though UCSD would be able to sit back with a 7-3 lead; however, the Stags came roaring back with three goals, two from John Holland, to make it an 8-6 UCSD advantage going into the final stanza.
CMS would win the ball off the sprint, but a quick steal would free Donohoe to start the counter attack up the right side. He picked out John Butler in the middle of the pool and Butler sure-handedly fired the shot into the net for the early score. Morton shut out the Stags the rest of the way and Kevin Driscoll and Saber would score before the final whistle, giving UCSD an 11-6 win over the No. 4 team ranked in Division III.
“It is getting to be that time of year where we need to feel good with how we played,” said head coach Denny Harper. “We let (CMS) back in it tonight. Going forward we need to get prepared to finish matches when we can.”
UCSD has two regular season matches remaining before the WWPA Championships on Nov.19-21. The win over CMS will most likely propel the Tritons into fourth place in the WWPA standings depending on results from other matches being played on Tuesday night. UCSD finds itself in position to win one of the tournament’s top four seeds.
UCSD will dive back into the pool on Friday as it welcomes No. 5 UC Irvine to Canyonview Pool at 6:00 p.m. The Tritons will follow that match with a conference tilt against No. 19 Pomona-Pitzer on Sunday. First sprint against the Sagehens is set for noon.
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