MERCED, Calif. – The University of California, Merced men's water polo team dropped a 16-9 contest to Biola on Saturday afternoon at the UC Merced Aquatics Center.
The Bobcats (0-10, 0-3) were within two goals midway through the third quarter, but Biola pulled away with an 8-1 goal scoring run.
Both offenses broke out in the fourth quarter with 13 combined goals. The first three quarters saw just 12 total goals between the two teams. Biola led 8-4 after three before the 16-9 final score.
Altug Misirli Jr. led the Bobcats offense with a hat trick, his second of the season and his first in WWPA action. Noah Defaii scored his first two career goals. Andrew Jones also scored two goals.
Biola got on the board first midway through the first quarter with a penalty shot and then converted another penalty a few minutes later to go up 2-0. Biola also scored two power play goals in the first quarter for a 4-1 lead. Defaii scored the Bobcats lone goal of the opening period.
After another Biola penalty to start the second, Misirli Jr. and Jones scored back-to-back to cut the Bobcats deficit to 5-3. Biola responded with the final goal of the first half to take a 6-3 lead into the break.
Jones found the back of the net to start the third quarter to make it a two-goal margin again, however the Bobcats were scoreless the rest of the frame. It remained a 6-4 game until the 2:44 mark of the period when Biola started its 8-1 goal scoring run. The run saw Biola score five unanswered goals, including two to end the third quarter and three to start the fourth to build its lead up to 11-4 with six minutes left.
Defaii broke up Biola's run at the 5:54 mark, but Biola's offense remained in rhythm and scored on its next three possessions to create more separation up 14-5. UC Merced kept battling and scored the games next four goals but it was still a five-goal deficit inside of two minutes, 14-9. Misirli Jr. registered his hat trick in the run while Noah Hernandez and Matthew King also scored in the spurt. Biola would tack on two more goals in the final 90 seconds to round out the Eagles 16-9 victory.
Matthew Lloyd was in goal for the Bobcats and neared a season-high with 12 saves. The senior also had a season-high four steals.
Up next, UC Merced will start a five-match East Coast road trip at Connecticut College on Friday, October 16. Opening sprint from Lott Natatorium in New London, CT is scheduled for 4:00pm PST.
