SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA – The University of California, Merced men's water polo team flirted with an upset at 20th-ranked Cal State Fullerton, but the Bobcats fell 10-8 on Thursday afternoon. The Bobcats then traveled to Cal Lutheran and were defeated 14-6 later in the day.
The Bobcats (0-7) minus two-goal margin at Cal State Fullerton is the narrowest defeat against a nationally-ranked opponent in 24 all-time matchups in the program's history.
Andrew Jones and Thomas Bauer paced the Bobcats with four goals each on the day. Matthew Lloyd collected 19 total saves.
VS. CAL STATE FULLERTON
James Soto and Bauer gave the Bobcats a quick 2-0 lead in the first quarter, including Soto starting the scoring with a successful penalty shot. Cal State Fullerton tied the game three minutes later, but Matthew King deposited another Bobcat penalty shot into the back of the net in the closing seconds of the opening frame to give the Bobcats a 3-2 lead heading into the second quarter.
The Bobcats and Titans alternated goals for a part of the second quarter as the Bobcats held a 5-4 lead with two minutes left highlighted by an Evan Ladeairous goal. Cal State Fullerton pulled even again with 1:23 left and then took its first lead of the day inside of 10 seconds, 6-5. The Titans held their 6-5 lead at intermission.
Bauer brought the Bobcats level with a goal to start the third quarter, but the Titans followed with back-to-back goals to grab their first multi-goal lead of the day. The third quarter was scoreless for the final four minutes with Fullerton ahead 8-6.
Soto snapped the scoring drought with a goal at the 5:43 mark of the fourth quarter and the Bobcats defense stood strong keeping it a one-goal deficit for the next five minutes. However, the Bobcats offense wasn't able to tie the game. Cal State Fullerton snapped its nearly eleven-minute scoring drought with 42 seconds left, making a comeback very difficult for the Bobcats. Though Jones rocketed a shot into the net with 22 seconds left to make it 9-8, Fullerton played keep away from the Bobcats with the shot clock off and then capped the scoring in the closing seconds to secure the 10-8 win.
VS. CAL LUTHERAN
Cal Lutheran led wire-to-wire in the 4:00pm match against the Bobcats. It was a 3-0 Cal Lutheran advantage heading into the second quarter and a 6-1 lead at halftime. Bauer broke up the Cal Lutheran goal-scoring run with a goal at the 6:11 mark of the second period.
Jones opened the second half scoring, but the Bobcats were unable to garner any momentum and fell victim of a 5-0 Cal Lutheran run to fall behind 11-2 early in the fourth quarter. Both teams put four goals into the back of the net in the final frame in the 14-6 Cal Lutheran victory. Noah Hernandez scored his first goal of the year in the quarter.
Up next, UC Merced will begin WWPA play at Fresno Pacific on Friday, October 2. The opening sprint is scheduled for 7:30pm at Sanger West High School.
