No. 10 UCSB suffered its second consecutive 9-7 loss of the weekend, this time at No. 4 UCLA on Sunday afternoon at Spieker Aquatics Complex.
With the loss, UCSB falls to 12-13 on the season and 1-6 in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play. The Bruins improved to 19-6 and 5-3 in league play, clinching the No. 4 seed into the conference tournament.
The contest was a one-goal affair for much of the first half. The Bruins raced to a 2-0 lead in the first three minutes, but the Gauchos answered with back-to-back goals of their own to knot the game with 2:53 remaining in the quarter. Each team posted a goal apiece in the final two minutes of the first to head into the quarter break tied at three-all.
UCSB claimed its first and only lead of the game with a goal from Zsombor Vincze two minutes into the second quarter. The Bruins posted a pair of six-on-five goals to gain a 5-4 advantage, but Vincze once again tied things up with 2:45 to go in the first half.
Unfortunately, UCLA?s Bret Lathrope was able to give the Bruins a 6-5 lead just during the next possession.
UCLA held the lead the rest of the way, outscoring the Gauchos 3-2 in the final two quarters to capture the 9-7 win.
Vincze led the Gauchos for the second consecutive game, scoring four goals for UCSB. Milos Golic posted two goals in the loss. In the goal, Fraser Bunn tallied five saves.
The Gauchos will conclude the 2009 regular season next Saturday at Pepperdine in a noon MPSF contest.
UCLA 9, UCSB 7
UCSB 3 ? 2 ? 1 ? 1 — 7
UCLA 3 ? 3 2 ? 1 ? — 9
UCSB Goals: Zsombor Vincze 4, Milos Golic 2, Noah Smith
UCSB Saves: Fraser Bunn 5
UCLA Goals: Scott Davidson 2, Ben Hohl 2, Griffin White 2, Cullen Hennessy, Bret Lathrope, Josh Samuels
UCLA Saves: Chay Lapin 7
