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University of California, Merced

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9
Winner Fresno Pacific FPU (2-10)
8
UC Merced UCM (4-9)
Winner
Fresno Pacific FPU
(2-10)
9
Final
8
UC Merced UCM
(4-9)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Fresno Pacific FPU 3 4 1 1 9
UC Merced UCM 4 4 0 0 8

Game Recap: Men's Water Polo |

Men's Water Polo Falls 9-8 to Fresno Pacific

MERCED, Calif. – The University of California, Merced men's water polo team fell short 9-8 to Fresno Pacific in the WWPA opener on Saturday afternoon at the Aquatics Center.

Goalkeeper Matthew Lloyd highlighted the Bobcats (4-10, 0-1) with a season-high 17 saves. He allowed just two second half goals.

UC Merced led 8-7 at halftime but was held scoreless in the second half.

Centers Vincent Labonte and Weston Oliver paced the Bobcats first half offensive output with two goals each.

Offense was hard to come by for both teams throughout the match, but a six-minute stretch at the end of the first quarter and beginning of the second quarter saw an offensive explosion.  Eleven of the games 17 goals were scored in that timeframe between the 3:11 mark of the first quarter to the 5:00 mark of the second quarter.

The Bobcats trailed 2-0 before the outburst and reeled off three consecutive goals from James Soto, Evan Ladeairous, and Oliver to take their first lead of the match. FPU tied the game, but Oliver scored again in the final 30 seconds as the Bobcats owned a 4-3 advantage at the end of the first quarter.

The two teams alternated goals to start the second quarter but Labonte and Christian Soto went back-to-back to break a 5-5 tie and give the Bobcats a 7-5 lead. Brayden Shively scored with 1:11 left in the first half, which was the final goal for UC Merced on the day. UC Merced led 8-7 at the break.

FPU eventually tied the game 8-8 with 2:28 left in the third quarter.

The game was tied for over seven minutes of game time, and then the Sunbirds scored the game-winner at the 3:20 mark of the fourth.

UC Merced had five shots in the closing minutes but only one of them was on target which was from James Soto. His shot with 15 seconds left to potentially force overtime was saved near post by FPU's keeper Chase Hammes. Hammes finished the day with 17 saves.

UC Merced was unable to get one final possession following Soto's shot.

Up next, UC Merced will host Concordia University Irvine on Friday, October 17 at 7:00pm at the Aquatics Center.

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