CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL | BOX SCORE | UCSD PRESSER
DAVIS, Calif. - Second-seeded UC San Diego outlasted No. 4 seed and host UC Davis, 13-8, in the semifinal round of the 2024 Big West Men's Water Polo Championship at Schaal Aquatics Center in Davis, Calif., on Saturday afternoon.
With the win, the Tritons (16-11) advance to tomorrow's Championship match against No. 5 seed Long Beach State. Meanwhile, the Aggies cap the 2024 campaign at 10-14. With both of last year's Championship finalists ousted from the bracket, a new title winner will be crowned in the second year back in The Big West for men's water polo.
UCSD and UC Davis played a tightly contested game with several lead changes and scoring streaks. The Aggies took an early lead with a goal by Aleix Aznar Beltran at 6:45 in the first period, but the Tritons responded with Eamon Hennessey's goal at 4:36 to tie the game. The teams exchanged goals, and the first period ended with the Aggies leading 3-2.
In the second frame, Tyler Mrkaich of the Aggies scored twice, extending their lead to 5-3, but Bennett Axline's goal for UCSD closed the gap to 5-4 by the halftime break.
UCSD mounted a comeback in the third period, with goals from Mark Laurlund and Ante Buzov giving them a 7-6 lead. The Tritons maintained their momentum in the final period, with Buzov scoring twice more to help secure a 13-8 victory.
Overall, UCSD capitalized on power plays, scoring five such goals, while UC Davis had two power-play goals and one from a penalty shot.
Buzov led the Tritons with an efficient four goals on four shots. Eamon Hennessey also contributed significantly with three goals on seven attempts. Felipe Ferreira made a notable impact with two assists and two sprint wins, with Laurlund excelling in playmaking, leading the team with five assists. In goal, Logan Estes had a strong performance, recording 10 saves to anchor the defense.
UC Davis' Mrkaich led the team with three goals and added an assist with Kiesling contributing two goals and an assist. Aznar Beltran also played a crucial role with one goal and two blocks, demonstrating versatility on both ends of the pool. In goal, Frank Laptin provided solid defense with four saves, helping to keep the match competitive.
UC San Diego and Long Beach State square off tomorrow at Noon from Schaal Aquatics Center. In the regular-season meeting between the two, the Beach pulled off a 13-12 home win against the Tritons.
Gallery: (11-23-2024) 24 MWP: No. 2 UCSD vs No. 3 UCD