Sept. 16, 2012

Game 23 Box Score | Ninth Place Box Score

STANFORD, Calif. -- The 10th-ranked LMU men's water polo team finished the 2012 NorCal Invitational with a split in the final day of play on Sunday, defeating Western Water Polo Association rival and 11th-ranked UC San Diego, 10-6, before falling to No. 9 Long Beach State, 9-7. The Lions finished the loaded tournament in 10th place.

The Lions knocked off rival UC San Diego thanks to a balanced attack, getting the 10 goals from seven players. In the ninth place game, the Lions trailed by one heading into the fourth quarter and couldn't get the equalizer against the top-10 49ers. The Lions are 3-3 on the season.

LMU trailed by one, 5-4, to the Tritons and would tie the game late in the third at 6-6. They would then exploded for four unanswered goals and got 11 saves from goalie Kyle Testman to pull away from the Tritons. Joe Ferretti, John Mikuzis, Matt Stipanovich, and Jake Villarreal had two goals each to pace the balanced attack.

Against the 49ers, the teams broke out for an offensive first quarter, scoring four goals each as the game was tied at 4-4. It was 5-5 before Long Beach State took a key 6-5 lead right before halftime.

The teams would score a goal each in the third as the 49ers held a 7-6 lead heading into the fourth. They would get the lead to two late and the Lions couldn't get the equalizer. Mikuzis added three goals to give him five on the day. Seth Coldren, Mark Menis, Robert Pusic and Collin Walters had a goal each.

LMU will head back to Southern California to face UCLA in Westwood at 7 p.m., on Friday, Sept. 21. They will then play their first home game on Saturday, Sept. 22 at 2 p.m.