SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The University of California, Merced men's water polo team was defeated 18-15 by Iona on Friday on the first day of the Julian Fraser Memorial Tournament at Sullivan Aquatics Center.

Despite the loss, the Bobcats (1-15) 15 goals are the most in their last 18 matches against a NCAA Division One opponent dating back to October of 2024.

Andrew Jones and Altug Misirli Jr. led the Bobcats with a season-high tying four goals each. Misirli Jr., the reigning WWPA Offensive Player of the Week, also tied his career-high.

UC Merced and Iona alternated goals for the first four minutes before the Gaels created separation with a 4-1 goal scoring run to end the first quarter, leading 7-3. Jones scored twice in the frame for the Bobcats, while James Soto accounted for the Bobcats other goal.

Trailing 8-3 early in the second quarter, Misirli Jr. scored his first goal of the game and sparked a 4-0 goal-scoring run to bring the Bobcats within one. Jones scored right after Misirli Jr. and then Brayden Shively dented the twine on back-to-back possessions to aid the comeback efforts. Iona responded with a pair of unanswered goals to lead 10-7 at halftime.

Misirli Jr. scored the first goal in the third quarter to make it 10-8 but Iona followed with a 4-0 burst to take its biggest lead of the game, 14-8. Misirli Jr. stopped the run with a goal at the 2:14 mark. Evan Ladeairous and Noah Defaii followed with goals of their own to cut the six-goal deficit in half, 14-11. UC Merced trailed 15-12 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Bobcats worked the deficit down to two goals on three occasions in the final frame, but couldn't get any closer. Every UC Merced goal was answered by an Iona goal in the quarter as the two teams each scored three times, with Iona securing its 18-15 win.

Matthew Lloyd was in the cage for UC Merced.