CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL | BOX SCORE | UCD PRESSER

DAVIS, Calif. - Third-seeded and 2024 Big West Men's Water Polo Championship host UC Davis secured a victory over No. 6 seed Cal State Fullerton with a final score of 13-11 on a rainy Friday afternoon at the Schaal Aquatics Center.

UC Davis advances to Saturday's semifinal matchup against No. 2 seed UC San Diego in a rematch of The Big West regular-season finale. In that game on Nov. 9, the Tritons were able to punch in a final goal in the waning seconds of to edge the Aggies for the bye in the Championship bracket. Now, UC Davis has a chance to avenge the result in their home pool

The Aggies started strong in the first period with William Fosselman scoring at 4:51, assisted by Timothy Kerr, followed by Tyler Mrkaich's goal at 3:26. Cal State Fullerton responded with Nico D'Angelo scoring at 2:44, but UC Davis maintained the lead with a goal from Colin Nicholls at 2:11. Cal State Fullerton's Dominic Hernandez closed the gap with a goal at 0:08, ending the first period 3-2 in favor of UC Davis.

In the second period, Mrkaich and Fosselman each tallied more goals for UC Davis, establishing a 7-4 lead. The Aggies continued to extend their lead with consistent goals, including contributions from Holden Neach and Thomas Kiesling.

In the fourth period, UC Davis netted the first goal of the frame before Cal State Fullerton attempted a comeback with by scoring four unanswered highlighted by a pair from Alec Isaacman. Despite the late push, the Aggies secured the win with a two-goal margin, capitalizing on their 34 shots with 13 goals compared to the Titans' 24 shots and 11 goals.

Mrkaich emerged as a key offensive player, scoring a team-best four goals, with Kiesling also demonstrating strong offensive capabilities with two goals and an assist. Aleix Aznar Beltran also notched a pair of assists with Timothy Kerr helping on three scoring strikes.

Isaacman led the Titans with a standout performance, scoring three goals on four shots and adding an assist. D'Angelo was also a key contributor, recording two goals and three blocks. Julian Nichols added two goals and one assist while winning one sprint. In goal, Garrett Henderson made a significant impact with nine saves, anchoring the team's defensive efforts.

UC Davis improves to 9-13 while the Titans close the year with a mark of  11-17.