IRVINE – No. 8 UCSB (9-7) forfeited an 8-7 lead in the fourth quarter, falling to No. 9 UC Irvine (11-5), 10-8, in a non-conference game at Anteater Pool on Saturday afternoon.
A power-play goal by UC Irvine’s Sam Figueroa tied the game at eight-all with just 3:55 left in the game and Cole Bielskis scored what proved to be the game-winner just 47 seconds later, giving the Anteaters the 9-8 lead.
Greg Enloe scored his third goal of the game with 1:09 remaining on the clock for the final tally.
Junior Milos Golic led UCSB with five goals. His six-on-five goal with 5:41 remaining tied the game at 7-7 and he followed with a goal at the 4:58 mark to give the Gauchos an 8-7 lead before UCI closed the scoring with three consecutive goals.
The game was tied 5-5 at half before Irvine took a 7-6 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
“Overall we played well enough to lead by one in the fourth quarter, but we made too many mental errors that cost us,” said head coach Wolf Wigo. “When that happens, we don’t deserve to win.”
UCSB will open Mountain Pacific Sports Federation action next week when it travels to Long Beach State on Saturday, Oct. 24 at noon.
