Lancers Pull Off Another Upset on the Road

Wednesday, November 7

Irvine, Calif.

7:00 PM

California Baptist University

UC Irvine

Lancers Pull Off Another Upset on the Road

11/7/2018 9:48:00 PM | Men's Water Polo

By: Andrew Shortall, Asst. Sports Information Director

BOX SCORE

IRVINE, Calif. – For the first time in a while, California Baptist University found itself in an underdog role in a trip to 11^th-ranked UC Irvine on Wednesday night.

The Lancers, who were ranked 14^th in the NCAA poll released earlier that day, relished the opportunity and pulled out its second-straight, one-goal win at the Anteater Aquatics Complex on a score of 12-11. CBU ends the regular season with a 22-10 record, which is its best-ever, single-season record in the NCAA era (2013-18), heading into the Western Water Polo Association Tournament.

"The team was fired up for this one because they have a lot of belief in themselves right now," Coach Kevin Rosa said. "This is what we have been gearing up toward. We haven't played a team ranked ahead of us in a while, so it was the first time we felt like an underdog in about a month. The mindset was excellent, we came out hungry and came out fighting. It was good to see that intensity."

UC Irvine's record moves to 8-14 on the year, while the Lancers earn their eighth victory over a top-20 ranked team this season. CBU now has 26 top-20 wins since it became an NCAA member in 2013, with its eight this season being a single-season record for the program.

Dominick Nevarez posted a team-high three goals and three assists, thanks to a hot start, while Tanner Shore had two goals, two assists and two steals with a strong finish. The Lancers also received two goals and six drawn ejections from Logan Mena, two goals from Joseph Galgani, three assists from Zach Lowery and two others from Ryan Sargis.

CBU defeated the then eight-ranked Anteaters in its last trip to Irvine, 9-8, on Sept. 21, 2016 for what is still tied for the biggest upset in program history. The Lancers got off to a quick start on Wednesday to set themselves up for another one-goal win.

Nevarez, Mena and Galgani helped CBU open the first 4:45 of the game on a 3-1 run. UCI managed to cut its deficit down to one goal twice, but goals from Christian Britton and the third of the game from Nevarez gave the Lancers a 6-3 lead by halftime.

UC Irvine never quit and came back to tie the game at 10-10 with 3:33 to play in regulation. Shore came up big with his second goal of the fourth quarter on an assist from Britton with 1:36 remaining.

The Anteaters evened the score again with 59 seconds to play, and had a chance to take the lead when it called timeout with the ball and 35 seconds left. UCI's shot was off the target and allowed CBU to call timeout with possession and 21 seconds to go.

The Lancers' play out of the timeout created some space for Kyle Johnson right in front of the cage. The junior center defender, rose up and took a pass from Lowery before burying it for the goal and 12-11 lead with 15 seconds left.

"Kyle got some inside position and was able to get up, take a nice pass and put it in the cage," Rosa said.

The game was not quite over yet, as the Anteaters had plenty of time to get another shot off in hopes of forcing a tie. Shore came up with a steal in the waning seconds, though, and sprinted down the pool to run out the clock and secure the CBU victory.

"Their guy held the ball for a second, went under water wanting the foul, but Tanner was smooth. He kept his hands up, made a good lunge and was able to steal it and swim away," Rosa said.

CBU will look to carry the momentum of its five-game winning streak into the WWPA Tournament at Fresno Pacific next week. The fourth-seeded Lancers open the tournament against fifth-seeded Air Force on Friday, Nov. 16 at 11:15 a.m.

"This game was about getting us warmed up and ready for next weekend," Rosa said. "We came out with the energy we needed to get this win and more wins next week."