PLEASANT HILL, CA – The California men’s water polo team defeated UC Irvine, 9-4, Sunday at the Diablo Valley College Pool. The Bears boost their record to 8-1, (3-0 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation), while the Anteaters fall to 3-5, (1-1 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation).
The Anteaters led the first 1:32 of the first quarter with goals scored by freshman Mike Foley and senior Robert Allaire, but the Bears came back to tie the quarter, 2-2, with a goal scored by junior Brad Kittredge and a four-meter penalty shot scored by junior Phinney Gardner. California sophomore Albert Won assisted the Bears in the second quarter with two goals both scored on six-on-five man advantages. The Bears continued to gain strength in the third quarter with the help of Gardner who scored three more goals, two of them on man-up advantages. Anteater senior Greg Finley helped Irvine with goal in the third quarter and Foley again contributed with a goal in the fourth, but the Bear offense continued to dominate the fourth quarter with goals scored again by Kittredge and Won with 4:28 remaining in the match.
California junior goalkeeper Peter Kiefer and UC Irvine senior goalkeeper Tom Davis both played solid matches, tallying nine saves apiece.