RIVERSIDE, Calif. – A hot start from 12^th-ranked UC San Diego put No. 17 California Baptist University in too big of a hole to come back from in a 13-8 Western Water Polo Association loss on Thursday at the Lancer Aquatics Center.

Kyle Christian and Tanner Shore both netted hat tricks in the loss for the Lancers, who fall to 16-8, 1-2 in conference this year. The Tritons maintain their first-place lead in the WWPA with a 7-10, 4-0 record. There is no chance to rest for CBU, as it travels to second-ranked UCLA for a 5:30 p.m. game on Friday.

Matt Miller made 12 saves and forced two turnovers for CBU, which also received two goals and two drawn ejections from Jonny Lotero and two assists from Caleb Rogers. Shore also had three steals, an assist and drawn ejection, while Christian added an assist and drawn ejection. Logan Mena drew three exclusions in the games, while Thomas Henline forced two turnovers.

UC San Diego started the game on a 6-1 run to put CBU in a big hole eight minutes, 31 seconds into the contest. Shore came out firing 1:26 into the second quarter to bring the Lancers back in it, though. Shore's goal came on a one-time shot off a Rogers pass from the deep wing to make it a four-goal deficit, 6-2.

Less than a minute later, Matt Diacono drew an exclusion on the next possession to set up another Shore goal on a powerplay assist from Christian. It cut the score to 6-3 with 5:26 left in the second quarter.

Another six-on-five opportunity, followed by a CBU timeout, set up a picture-perfect goal from Lotero. The Lancers worked the ball around the pool to Royce Daniel Laverne on the right side and Lotero lifted out of the water in the middle of the pool and rocketed a shot past the keeper to make it an 8-4 deficit.

UCSD continued to have a response, but back-to-back CBU goals in the fourth quarter from Christian kept hope alive, down 11-6 with 6:11 to play.

A few possessions later, an off-target Triton shot sparked a six-on-five Lancer counter, with Dominick Nevarez finding Shore with a pass across the pool. The hat trick made it a four-goal deficit, 11-7, with 4:30 to play, and Lotero's second tally made it 12-8 with 3:27 remaining. However, the Tritons scored again with 1:43 to play to end any comeback hopes.

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