LONG BEACH, Calif. – No. 9 University of California, Irvine men’s water polo dropped its final Big West Conference game of the season, falling 12-10 to No. 12 Long Beach State on November 6, 2026. The match took place in Long Beach, California.
Long Beach State gained an early advantage, going up 4-1 after the first quarter and extending that lead to 12-6 by the end of the third quarter. UC Irvine mounted a late comeback in the fourth quarter, scoring four consecutive goals while holding Long Beach State scoreless, but their rally came up short.
Alex Lopez led UC Irvine offensively with a total of four points, registering three goals and one assist. Brody Luke added two goals, while Gage Verdegaal, Johann Thrall, Charlie Jones, Jayson Hubbard, and Ryan Fresca each scored one goal. The top scorer in the game was Long Beach State’s Gabi Acosta with four goals.
The Anteaters will return home to face No. 13 University of the Pacific on November 13 at 6 p.m. at the Anteater Aquatics Complex to close out the regular season.
CSB Take
UC Irvine’s late fourth-quarter rally demonstrated the team’s determination despite the earlier deficit. Alex Lopez’s strong offensive showing highlighted his importance to the team’s attacking efforts. Moving forward, the Anteaters will need to sustain early-game momentum and consistency if they seek success in upcoming matches, including their regular-season finale against Pacific.
Source: Original report
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