Fisher keys win over 49ers

Steve Virgen

While the UC Irvine men’s water polo is still, as senior Jeff

Powers said, “trying to figure out how to play with each other,”

visiting Long Beach State nearly scored the victory Wednesday night

in nonconference action.

However, UCI sophomore Charlie Fisher scored two fourth-quarter

goals, including the game-winner with 59 seconds remaining, that gave

the Anteaters a 10-9 come-from-behind victory. Irvine Coach Ted

Newland, whose team is ranked No. 2 in the nation, was not pleased

with his team’s effort.

“We were terrible,” Newland said. “We thought we were good and all

that. We didn’t play good defense. (The Anteaters) better get their

act together. They can’t come in and think they can walk through a

game and win.”

After coming back from a 5-2 deficit in the third period, the

Anteaters battled with the 49ers (4-5) in the fourth. Beach went up,

7-6, one minute into the fourth. But, Powers scored from set to tie

the game again.

The Anteaters (5-1) earned their first lead of the game with 5:12

remaining, when UCI junior Phil Garcia recorded a steal and sprinted

on the breakaway. He passed to 6-foot-9 sophomore Dreason Barry in

front of the net and Barry scored for an 8-7 lead.

The 49ers came back and scored on a 6-on-5 situation with 4:33

left, to tie it up again, 8-8. Newland said Powers’ defense also made

a difference. Powers defended Long Beach’s two-meter man Nathan

Allard.

In addition, UCI sophomore Rick Merlo scored two goals late in the

third quarter, that kept the Anteaters in the game.

Barry also scored two goals, while Dan Noon and Garrett Gentry

added one goal each to the output.

NONCONFERENCE

UC Irvine 10, Long Beach St. 9

Score by Quarters

Long Beach St. 3 1 2

3 -- 9

UC Irvine 1 1 4

4 -- 10

Long Beach State -- Holloway 3, Geoffroy 2, Allard 2,

Logan 1, Filipponi 1. Saves -- Konstas 6.

UCI -- Fisher 2, Powers 2, Merlo 2, Barry 2, Noon 1,

Gentry 1. Saves -- Finfrock 7.