LA JOLLA, Calif. ? The 9th-ranked UC San Diego men's water polo team earned a split on the second day of the Southern California Tournament in Malibu on Sunday afternoon. Both games went into overtime as the Tritons dropped their morning game to No. 6 Loyola Marymount by a 15-12 score. UCSD did lead 12-10 but could not close out the Lions. In the afternoon game, the Tritons defeated No. 7 UC Santa Barbara 12-11 in sudden death overtime. This time it was the Tritons who were down two goals in the fourth quarter, only to comeback and force OT. The Tritons are now 13-6 on the season. UCSD is back in action on Friday, October 17 when it hosts Claremont at 5:00 p.m.
In the seventh-place game, the Tritons were led by A.J. Kotanjian with four goals, while Jeff Hunt, Adnan Jerkovic and Chance Vermilyea scored two goals apiece. Graham Saber and Steven Donohoe also scored for UCSD.
The game was tied nine times, with UCSD trailing late, at 9-7 with 2:23 remaining in regulation. Kotanjian then scored at the :56 mark and on the final possession with :06 remaining, tying the game at 9-9. In overtime, UCSD's Hunt scored to put the Tritons ahead 10-9. After a Gaucho goal, UCSD's Vermilyea scored with :48 left. UCSD had an answer and scored with just :12 left to force sudden death.
In the first sudden death period, neither team scored. In the second sudden death period, Jerkovic scored at the 2:56 mark, giving the Tritons the 12-11 win for seventh-place.
Against LMU, UCSD scored the first three goals of the game on two scores by Daniel Garcia and another by Kotanjian. LMU closed the quarter on a strong run, tying the game at 4-4.
Chance Vermilyea opened the scoring in the second quarter as the team would go on to tie three times in the quarter, as Jerkovic scored the final goal of the quarter with 2:19 left to make the score 7-7 at halftime. LMU took a 10-8 lead in the third quarter with 2:43 left. Kotanjian's score with 2:13 left in the quarter pulled UCSD within 10-9, which was the beginning of a four unanswered goal run by UCSD.
In the fourth, Kotanjian scored to pull UCSD even at the 6:05 mark. Steven Donohoe scored with 3:17 left for the go-ahead goal and Vermilyea added a score with 2:20 left and the Tritons ahead 12-10. Coming down to the wire, LMU scored at the 1:27 mark and on its final possession with :26 left to force overtime.
In overtime, the Lions scored two goals in the first OT and another in the second, holding the Tritons scoreless.
