Despite a comeback effort that included six second-half goals, UCSB (9-9, 0-4 MPSF) was unable to top UCLA (21-2, 5-0 MPSF) in a 10-7 loss at Campus Pool on Sunday.
After holding off a late Stanford comeback on Saturday for the 7-6 win, UCLA survived yet another late-game rally as the Gauchos tallied four goals in the fourth quarter alone.
UCSB would get on the scoreboard for the first time later in the second quarter thanks to a goal from Kevin Cappon at the 3:08 mark. The Gauchos almost found another goal before the halftime break, but Nicholas Jordan’s skip shot just missed off the left post.
Facing a 6-1 UCLA lead, the Gauchos surrendered a goal to Danny McClintick in the opening minute of the third quarter, but would later take momentum in the match with back-to-back goals from Brendan McElroy and Cappon.
McElroy’s goal came from a tight angle look as he fired a sharp shot to the far post with 4:42 left in the third. With a 6-on-5 advantage, Cappon would follow up that goal just one minute later, as he took a quick pass to the inside and flicked the ball into the net.
UCLA managed to get a goal with 3:02 remaining in the quarter in taking an 8-3 lead into the fourth quarter, but the Gauchos made things interesting with three unanswered goals in opening the final period.
Samer Alkateb tabbed the first score as he drew in two defenders and snuck in a no-look shot from two-meters out to put UCSB within four. With 5:43 left in the match, Chase Racich chimed in with his first goal of the match in a 6-on-5 opportunity in putting the Gauchos closer at 8-5.
Bryan Snyder closed the 3-0 run when he took a Cappon pass at the two-meter mark and whipped the ball pass the keeper, cutting the deficit to just two goals.
However, with 2:21 to go, UCLA distanced themselves from the Gauchos with a goal from Paul Reynolds in a 6-on-5 scenario, and later put in their final score with 1:43, putting the game out of reach for UCSB.
The Gauchos will be back in action next weekend with a road trip up to Cal (11/1) and Pacific (11/2). They will return to Campus Pool on Saturday Nov. 8 as they wrap up their home schedule with Pepperdine at noon followed by Concordia at 4 p.m.
UCLA 10, UCSB 7
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| UCLA | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| UCSB | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 |
UCLA Goals: Anthony Daboub (2), Gordon Marshall (2), Danny McClintick (2), Cristiano Mirarchi (2), Paul Reynolds (2)
UCSB Goals: Kevin Cappon (2) Chase Racich (2), Samer Alkateb, Brendan McElroy, Bryan Snyder
UCSB Saves: Chris Whitelegge (7)
