LOS ANGELES - In an unforgettable title game Sunday, the third-seeded UC San Diego men's water polo team was edged, 13-12, in overtime by top-seeded UC Davis in the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) Championships final at the Burns Aquatics Center.

UC San Diego, ranked 11th nationally, ends its 2022 campaign with a 14-13 record. Fifth-ranked UC Davis improved to 19-7 and clinched an automatic berth in the upcoming NCAA National Collegiate Championships.

HOW IT HAPPENED
In the first three-minute extra period, Tyler Mrkaich tallied his fifth goal of the day at the 2:17 mark and UC Davis went ahead 11-10. With 31 ticks on the clock, Vedran Latkovic converted a five-meter penalty shot, knotting the game at 11-11. Holden Neach scored before the horn and the Aggies went back in front, 12-11.

In the second three-minute overtime, Mrkaich buried another one to give the Aggies a two-goal advantage, 13-11, with just over a minute remaining. Next, the Tritons appeared to have scored a goal, but the official whistled the play for the shooter pushing off his defender, which negated the goal. Kaden Likins was able to score just before the final horn, but it wasn't enough to force a third, sudden victory overtime period.

UC San Diego scored the only two goals in the opening quarter, the first from Rhys Bugelli and the second by Likins.

The second frame saw eight total goals scored, five from UC Davis and three from UC San Diego. Mrkaich scored his second goal, this time on a power play, with just two seconds left in the period to even it up at 5-5 going into halftime.

UC Davis earned its first lead of the game in the third quarter. After Matthew Wastila gave the Tritons a 6-5 lead with his second goal, the Aggies got back-to-back goals from Mrkaich and Will Nomura to take a 7-6 edge into the fourth stanza. 

UC San Diego reeled off the first three goals of the fourth. Brendon Fezzey tied it at 7-7, Latkovic buried a penalty shot, and Manuel Augusto capped the run with a goal at the 3:45 mark, putting the Tritons in front again, 9-7. Logan Anderson then scored to bring the Aggies back within a single goal. Three goals were scored in the final 54 seconds of the quarter. With UC San Diego ahead 9-8, Mrkaich brought UC Davis even with his fourth goal of the game. Fezzey put the Tritons ahead again with a goal with 30 seconds on the clock. Just eight seconds later, Neach found the net for the Aggies, making the score 10-10 and forcing overtime.

UC San Diego went 0-for-9 on the power play but scored three goals on penalty shots. The Aggies converted on three of nine extra-man opportunities and launched 37 shots to the Tritons' 28.

Likins recorded four points on two goals and two assists. Max Abravanel (two assists), Augusto (two goals), Fezzey (two goals), Latkovic (two goals), and Wastila (two goals) all finished with two points each.

Both goalies - Alexander Nemeth for the Tritons and Aaron Wilson for the Aggies - made nine saves.

Mrkaich had a seven-point performance, totaling six goals and adding one assist.

Latkovic and Nemeth were named the All-WWPA Championships First Team while Brendan Nugent was selected to the All-WWPA Championships Second Team.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH MATT USTASZEWSKI


TRITON TIDBITS
• The Tritons were looking for their 20th WWPA title.
• Vedran Latkovic extended his scoring streak to 20 games.
• Brendon Fezzey finished on a seven-game scoring streak that included all three contests at the tournament.
• Matthew Wastila scored at least on goal in each of the Tritons' three games at the WWPA Championships.
• Alexander Nemeth made 37 saves over three tourney games.
• Max Abravanel had five assists during the tournament.
• Manuel Augusto totaled eight points on four goals and four assists this weekend.
• Kaden Likins finished his tourney with seven points on three goals and four assists.
• Earlier this week, Vedran Latkovic was named All-WWPA First Team, Rhys Bugelli was selected All-WWPA Second Team, Alexander Nemeth picked up All-WWPA Honorable Mention, and Bennett Axline was tabbed the WWPA Freshman of the Year.
• This was UC San Diego's final season in the WWPA as the Tritons will join the Big West in 2023. 

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About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions III and II and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 84 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.