UC Irvine Travels to Cal, Pacific This Weekend

Oct. 28, 2009

UCI TRAVELS NORTH THIS WEEK: Coach Marc Hunt's UC Irvine men's water polo team (13-6 overall, 1-1 MPSF), travels to No. 2 California Saturday (Oct. 31) and Pacific Sunday for MPSF games at noon.

`EATERS SPLIT AT HOME: Seventh-ranked UCI split a pair of home games last weekend.

The Anteaters defeated UC San Diego, 7-6, last Friday night as senior Greg Enloe and junior Brandon Johnson scored two goals each in the third quarter as UCI battled back from a 4-1 halftime deficit.

UCSD took a 6-5 lead in the fourth quarter but goals by Tom Kruip at 5:09 and Trent Baxter with 2:28 remaining lifted UCI to the win.

The `Eaters staged a furious rally but No. 4 UCLA scored last to win 8-7 in an MPSF game last Saturday night.

The Bruins took a 7-2 lead on a goal by Ben Hohl with 3:32 left in the third quarter before UCI stormed back.

The `Eaters' Brandon Johnson scored on a penalty shot with 57 seconds left in the third quarter to pull UCI within 7-3 entering the final quarter.

The Anteaters scored the first four goals of the fourth quarter on scores by Trent Baxter (6:48), Johnson (5:24), Baxter (3:48) and Doug Lindsey on a power-play goal at the 2:38 mark to draw even at 7-7.

Hohl scored on an extra-man opportunity with 1:46 remaining to put the Bruins up 8-7.

UCI went on the power play in the final minute but could not convert and UCLA ran out the clock.

Johnson and Baxter led the `Eaters with two goals each

SCORING LEADERS: Tom Kruip leads the balanced UCI attack with 36 goals, followed by Cole Bielskis with 35 and Brandon Johnson with 30. Kruip ranks sixth in the MPSF with an average of 1.89 goals per game, Bielskis is eighth (1.84) and Johnson 13th (1.58).

Greg Enloe has scored 24 goals, James Frank 20 and Kyle Kruip 15.

IN GOAL: Junior Matt Johnson has started 18 games and has 126 saves. Senior Erik Evered has played in five games with one start and has recorded 22 stops.