UCI edges No. 5 Cal

UC Irvine senior Rick Merlo scored three goals to help the Anteaters’

men’s water polo team earn an 8-7 victory over Mountain Pacific

Sports Federation visitor Cal, ranked No. 5, Sunday at the Anteater

Aquatics Complex.

Merlo scored back-to-back goals with 2:24 and 20 seconds left in

the second quarter to give the No. 8-ranked Anteaters a 4-2 lead at

halftime.

The teams exchanged three goals each throughout the third quarter

as UCI maintained took a 7-5 lead into the fourth period.

Anteater sophomore Cole Bitter scored an extra-man goal with 3:52

left in regulation to extend the lead to 8-5 but the Golden Bears

answered quickly.

Cal sophomore Andrija Vasiljevic scored with 3:30 remaining and

freshman teammate Jeff Tyrrell added a goal just 19 seconds later to

pull the Bears within 8-7 with 3:11 left.

Cal narrowly missed several scoring opportunities in the final

minute, including a shot that hit the crossbar as time expired on a

late power-play chance.

Junior goalie Joe Wynne had six saves for UCI (11-8, 2-2 in

conference), which won its third consecutive game.

Junior Nate Bennett recorded six stops for Cal, which fell to

11-7, 1-4.

The Anteaters host No. 3 USC Saturday at noon.