IRVINE — The Long Beach State men’s water polo team started Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play with a win at No. 8 UC Irvine Thursday night followed by a home loss to UC Santa Barbara on Saturday.
LBSU (17-6, 1-1 MPSF) was able to pull away from a talented UCI squad on Thursday evening with a 9-6 win through a dominant shooting performance by senior Carter Taylor.
“I think Carter [Taylor’s] starting to sense that he’s a senior and that these moments are few and far between,” LBSU head coach Gavin Arroyo said.
Taylor, who led the ‘Niners with four goals, rose to the occasion whenever the Anteaters seemed to be making a surge.
“This is a big one for us,” Taylor said, “and a statement that we’re ready to go with all pistons firing.”
Taylor scored his fourth and final goal of the night with 4:19 left in the game and LBSU leading by the slim margin of 7-5.
With the shot clock running down, Taylor reared up and fired off a shot over a pressing Anteater defender and zero-angle to help against the goalkeeper.
“I just caught him off guard and was able to get it right over his head,” Taylor said of the goal.
LBSU sophomore Ricardo Guimares helped cap off the night for the ‘Niners with his second goal of the game. Guimares scored off of a break away that let LBSU escape UC Irvine with the MPSF win.
“Every time you play Irvine, it’s a crapshoot,” Arroyo said. “We feel extraordinarily fortunate to get out of here with a win.”
The ‘Niners then hosted No. 6 UCSB on Saturday.
In a game that gave LBSU the opportunity to avenge two close losses to the Gauchos earlier in the season, the ‘Niners were unable to match the intensity that UCSB(14-5, 2-1) brought.
“[UCSB] did a good job of controlling momentum,” Arroyo said.
The ‘Niners came out strong with the first goal of the game via an outside skip-shot from sophomore Nolan McConnell.
“I think in the first quarter we totally dictated and outplayed them,” Arroyo said.
With 5:04 left in the first, UCSB got on the board with its first goal from junior attacker Eric Van de Mortel.
After a counterattack goal from senior Matt Gronow the Gauchos reached a 2-1 advantage to end the first period.
In the second quarter, the ‘Niners were unable to stop the outside shooting of the Gauchos. By halftime the Gauchos had built a healthy 7-3 lead.
With its back against the wall, LBSU battled back in the third quarter. It displayed its best defensive effort of the game, keeping the Gauchos scoreless.
Sophomore goalkeeper Pavo Ljepoppio recorded three of his eight blocks in the third period, helping to shut the Gauchos down offensively.
LBSU came within striking distance in the third quarter, but junior Milos Vrzic couldn’t convert a crucial five-meter penalty shot.
“We were playing great defense at that time,” Vrzic said. “Had I hit that penalty, it would’ve been 7-5.”
Instead, Gaucho goalie Chris Whitelegge recorded one of his 12 saves, preserving UCSB’s three-goal lead.
In the fourth quarter, UCSB kept its well-balanced play alive with two more goals, eventually pulling away 9-5 with two minutes remaining.
LBSU was able to score with 44 seconds left by way of a breakaway goal from Devin Mefford, but it was a case of too little, too late for the ‘Niners. The Gauchos took the win, 9-6.
“We just need to forget this game as soon as possible and keep our heads up,” Ljeppopio said.
The ‘Niners will now shift their focus toward a match at Pepperdine on Saturday. They will then return home for a game on Sunday against California.