LA MIRADA, Calif. – The University of California, Merced men's water polo team fell 15-12 to Biola in the regular season finale on Saturday afternoon.

The Bobcats (2-24) battled hard, holding leads in the first, second, and third quarters before Biola got hot at the end reeling off a 6-3 goal scoring run.

Despite the loss, Vincent Labonte shared match-high with four goals and Camden Peterson registered another hat trick. Andrew Jones and Evan Ladeairous scored two goals each, while William Pezold deposited one shot into the back of the net.

Jones finishes the regular season on a team-best eleven-match goal scoring streak. Peterson ended the campaign with a hat trick or better eleven times. Labonte hit the three-goal or more mark ten times.

Jones' first goal gave the Bobcats their first lead of match, 2-1 six minutes into the day.

UC Merced and Biola then alternated goals as the Bobcats either led or were tied until the final second of the first half. The Bobcats led 6-5 with two minutes left but then Biola scored at the 1:04 mark and then beat the halftime buzzer to go 7-6.

Out of the break, Peterson tied the game on the first possession and then Labonte put the Bobcats back in front 8-7 90 seconds later.

However, the 8-7 advantage was the Bobcats last lead. Biola followed with two goals and then after Labonte tied the game 9-9, the Eales went on a 3-0 run which ultimately ended being a difference in the match. It put Biola up 12-9, and the home team ended up winning 15-12.

Biola held a four-goal lead, 14-10, with 2:24 left in regulation. Ladeairous and Labonte cut the deficit to a pair before the Eagles capped off the scoring with 39 seconds to go.

Matthew Lloyd was credited with eleven saves between the posts.

UC Merced will finish off the year playing four exhibition games at the WWPA Championships this weekend, beginning November 22 against Concordia University Irvine at 9:00am. CUI will host the championship event at William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center.