CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The University of California, Merced men's water polo team fell 25-8 to 18th-ranked Harvard University and 10-7 to Wagner College on Saturday at the Harvard Invitational.
The Bobcats (12-13) were led by William Pezold on the first east coast road trip in program history. The freshman scored six goals, including four against Wagner to help give the Bobcats a chance. His four goals tied his career-high. Pezold returned to action this weekend for the first time since the doubleheader in Vallejo on September 24.
Killian Nguyen scored two goals in each game on Saturday, while Andrew Jones found the back of the net once in both outings at Blodgett Pool.
Game One | Harvard 25, UC Merced 8
The Crimson scored two goals in the first 70 seconds and eight goals in the opening quarter to create early separation from the Bobcats. Andrew Jones had a goal sandwiched between Harvard's eight to get the Bobcats on the scoreboard.
Nguyen scored for the Bobcats in the second quarter, but the Bobcats deficit grew larger and it was 13-2 Harvard in front at halftime.
Immediately out of the break, Pezold scored his first of two goals against the Crimson. The tournament host responded with a 7-1 goal-scoring surge that stretched into the fourth quarter, putting them ahead 20-4 at the peak of the run. Camden Peterson deposited a shot into the back of the net to score the Bobcats fifth goal, one of four goals head coach Johnny Bega's team recorded in the final frame. Nguyen followed with a goal of his own shortly after Peterson's. Pezold and Tommy Bauer rounded out the Bobcats scoring prior to the final buzzer going off, falling 25-8.
Matthew Lloyd and Sebastian Palomera split time between the posts. Lloyd had eight first half saves, while Palomera recorded four saves in the second half.
Game Two | Wagner 10, UC Merced 7
UC Merced played Wagner extremely tight and flirted with knocking off their first NCAA Division One opponent in program history. The Bobcats led at halftime and were tied 7-7 with six minutes remaining in regulation.
In a defensive battle, the Bobcats struck first on a power play out of the hand of Pezold approximately three minutes in. Wagner earned a penalty shot immediately after and converted the attempt to tie the game at one, which is where the score remained at the end of eight minutes.
Two and a half minutes into the second quarter, Pezold buried a penalty shot and then scored an even strength goal shortly after to give the Bobcats a 3-1 lead. Wagner countered with two goals to tie the game again before Nguyen put UC Merced back in front with two minutes to go in the first half. UC Merced led 4-3 at intermission.
Wagner grabbed their first lead of the game with two goals in the first two minutes of the third quarter. After a Nguyen goal, Wagner responded with two more scores to go up 7-5 with 30 seconds left in the period.
Pezold buried a shot and then Jones did the same at even strength evening the game at 7-7 with six minutes to go.
Wagner started their game-winning run after that. The Seahawks delivered a goal on a power play with 5:24 on clock to break the tie, and then after forcing a UC Merced turnover, bounced a goal in to go up 9-7 less than 30 seconds later. A five-meter penalty shot inside of three minutes would end up being the games' final goal, leaving Wagner with the 10-7 win. The three-goal margin was also the largest of the game for either team.
Palomera logged all 32 minutes in cage for the Bobcats and finished with eleven saves.
Up next, UC Merced will play Iona and George Washington to finish the Harvard Invitational on Sunday, October 15. The Bobcats begin the day with the Iona College Gaels at 7:30am PST.
