IRVINE, Calif. – LMU men's water polo snapped a 16-game losing streak to Long Beach State on Sunday morning that had dated back to 2012. The No. 13 Lions edged the No. 7 Beach, 13-12, behind a career-high 18 saves from Stelios Dalmaras. LMU closed the tournament with a one-goal loss to No. 12 UC Santa Barbara, 16-15.
 
Game 1: #13 LMU 13, #7 LBSU 12
 
The Lions doubled Long Beach State up 4-2 in the opening period. After The Beach got on the board on their first possession of the game, Abel Romero Corbalan tied the score up on LMU's opening possession. Tommaso Baldineti then scored two unanswered goals to give the Lions a 3-1 lead with 52 seconds remaining in the period. The final minute of action also included a penalty goal from LBSU followed by a goal from Jonny Rimlinger with eight seconds showing on the clock.
 
LMU added to the lead in the second quarter as Jonny Rimlinger, Tyler Harvey, and Baldineti all scored even-strength goals to make it a 7-2 game at the half.
 
Long Beach State scored the first three goals of the second half before Rimlinger answered with two in a row of his own to bring the lead up to 9-5. The Beach cut their deficit in half, but a full pool assist from Stelios Dalmaras to Romero Corbalan with 43 seconds on the clock gave LMU a 10-7 lead heading into the final eight-minute period.
 
Augie Renezeder and Romero Corbalan pushed the lead to 11-7 and 12-7 in the opening two minutes of the fourth quarter before LBSU scored four unanswered goals to bring the Beach within one with 1:20 to play. Baldineti scored the game-winner with 57 seconds showing on the clock. Stelios Dalmaras recorded his 18^th save of the game on Long Beach State's final shot attempt securing victory for the Lions.
 
Game 2: #12 UCSB 16, #13 LMU 15
 
The Lions started ahead on a goal from Abel Romero Corbalan, but UC Santa Barbara responded and took their first lead 2-1. Tyler Harvey evened the game at 2-2 with 4:35 showing on the clock, taking advantage of the powerplay. The Gauchos scored the next two goals before Tomasso Baldineti closed out the period with his first of the day with just two seconds remaining.
 
After UCSB opened the second with a goal, Augie Renezeder scored a 6-on-5 to bring the Lions back within one. UC Santa Barbara answered with the next two goals before Tyler Harvey earned one back for the Lions. LMU scored three of the final four goals of the half as Kade Margain, Tyler Harvey, and Baldineti all beat the keeper to make it a 9-8 game at the half.
 
Alex Marlow tied the game at 9-9 on LMU's opening possession of the third quarter. The two sides would trade off scoring the next eight goals of the period with Renezeder, Harvey, and Patrick Powers each providing an equalizer once the Gauchos pushed ahead. Baldineti scored this third goal in the final 30 seconds of a quarter to give LMU a 14-13 lead heading into the final period of play.
 
The Gauchos scored the first three goals of the fourth quarter to take a two-goal lead. Marlow brought the Lions back within one with 1:48 to play, but the Lions could not find the tying goal over the final stretch of the game.
 
Up Next
 
The Lions will continue tournament play with the La Mirada Splash in Riverside Calif.
 
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