LOS ANGELES – The UC Santa Barbara men’s water polo team was edged out of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation semifinals by Stanford, which posted a 11-10 victory over the Gauchos in the first round of the 2011 MPSF Championship Tournament at UCLA’s Spieker Aquatics Center on Friday afternoon.
UCSB took a 10-9 lead with 3:48 to go in the fourth quarter off of a goal from Jesse Gillespie, but the Gauchos could not hold onto the lead as the Cardinal capitalized on a six-on-five with 2:17 to go to tie the game at 10-10.
Peter Sefton then provided what would prove to be the game-winner during another power play with 1:46 left on the clock.
With the loss, UCSB falls to 15-11 on the season and will now play in the consolation bracket of the tournament. The Gauchos will face Pacific on Saturday at 10 a.m.
Stanford had climbed out to a 4-2 lead after the first quarter of play, but UCSB steadily chipped away at its deficit and with 5:29 on the clock in the third, Teddy Zhang scored the first of his two goals, tying the game at 7-7.
Paul Rudolph scored a six-on-five goal to regain the Cardinal lead, but Zhang once again provided the equalizer with 4:17 to go in the third.
The seesaw battled continued until the Gauchos gained their first lead of the contest off of Gillespie’s goal in the fourth.
Zhang and Gillespie each had two goals in the loss while goalkeeper Myles Christian posted seven saves.
STANFORD 11, UCSB 10
UCSB 2 3 3 2 – 10
Stanford – 4 3 2 2 – 11
UCSB Goals: Teddy Zhang 2, Jesse Gillespie 2, Brian Shoemaker, Bryce Miller, Lazar Komadinic, Matt Gronow, Matt Johnson, Chase Racich.
UCSB Saves: Myles Christian 7.
Stanford Goals: Travis Noll 3, Paul Rudolph 2, Forrest Watkins 2, Andrew Laforge, Jacob Smith, Peter Sefton, Ryan Kent.
Stanford Saves: Brian Pingree 10.
