A balanced scoring attack carried the UCSB men’s water polo team to a 13-10 win over UC San Diego on Saturday at Campus Pool.
Ryan Baliani scored three goals to lead the Gaucho scoring, while freshman Shane Hauschild, Nicholas Jordan, Kevin Cappon and Matthew Hamilton each tallied two goals.
Baliani led the team with three goals. Hauschild, Jordan, Cappon, and Hamilton all tallied two goals during today’s match as Racich and Nick Jordan scored one apiece.
The Gauchos (5-1) opened up a 6-3 lead in the second period, but San Diego did not back down, scoring two goals in the last minute to make it a 6-5 score at the half.
Luca De Vivo of the Tritons tied the match 6-6 early in the fourth quarter. The Gauchos responded with a streak of their own. Baliani and Hamilton each netted their second goal of the match to give the home team the 8-6 edge. In a man-up situation, Cappon rifled in a shot to the bottom left corner to give UCSB a three-goal edge. Capitalizing on a 6-on-5 play, San Diego pulled to within two goals at 9-7.
A powerful two-meter goal from Jordan followed by Balianis third goal of the game put UCSB up by four goals with 5:30 to go. San Diego once again came back, trimming the lead to two, but ultimately fell short. With another goal from Cappon and a late score from Chase Racich, the Gauchos clinched its fifth victory of the season.
Chris Whitelegge tallied eight saves on the day.
