MERCED, Calif. – The University of California, Merced men's water polo team fell 18-10 to No. 20 Concordia University Irvine on Friday afternoon at the UC Merced Aquatics Center.
Andrew Jones and Evan Ladeairous led the Bobcats (0-9, 0-2) efforts with two goals apiece. Six other Bobcats scored one goal. Jones' multi-goal game was his fifth straight.
Concordia University Irvine led wire-to-wire in the match and led 5-1 at the end of the first quarter. CUI extended its lead in the second quarter with three goals in the first two minutes and ten seconds. Ladeairous responded with back-to-back goals midway through period and then Noah Hernandez deposited a shot into the back of the net at the 3:00 mark. Jakee Chacon converted a penalty shot before halftime, but the Bobcats trailed 11-5 at intermission.
Patrick Jones was the first goal scorer of the second half, however CUI pulled away for good by scoring six unanswered goals to end the third quarter with a 17-6 lead.
UC Merced did outscore CUI 4-1 in the fourth quarter with goals from Altug Misirli Jr., Joseph Rodriguez, A. Jones, and Matthew Lloyd. Rodriguez and Lloyd's goal marked their first career goals.
Lloyd also made seven saves in the cage.
Finn Moss collected three steals.
CUI was led by a three-headed attack of Dimitrios Koritsas, Kaliq Khan, and Levi Riegelmann. All three Golden Eagles registered a hat trick. CUI used three different goalkeepers.
