Loyola Marymount University men’s water polo team played two matches on September 12, 2026, in Westwood, falling 24-12 to No. 1 UCLA before narrowly losing 13-12 to No. 14 UC Santa Barbara. These contests brought the Lions’ season record to 4-2 ahead of the upcoming MPSF Invite.
Against UCLA, the Lions battled early, trading goals in the first quarter with Roman Saroyan scoring twice, including a penalty shot, and Luka Dimic contributing three goals, two late in the third quarter to keep LMU competitive. Bence Barics scored two goals, Nico Furneaux had a goal and two assists, and Mateo Obando added two goals, including a power-play tally. Despite these efforts, UCLA pulled away with strong offensive pressure to win 24-12.
In the second match versus UC Santa Barbara, LMU started strong, scoring five first-quarter goals led by Bence Barics and Nick Leung. Leung finished with a team-high four goals on eight shots, while Mateo Obando contributed two goals and three steals. Goalkeeper Adrian Ramirez recorded eight saves along with three steals and an assist, helping the Lions lead at halftime. However, a scoreless third quarter allowed UC Santa Barbara to gain the lead. Although the Lions rallied in the fourth quarter with goals from Obando, Roman Saroyan, and Leung, they fell one goal short in a tight 13-12 loss.
Loyola Marymount will next compete in the MPSF Invite starting September 18, 2026, in Stanford, California, aiming to build on the experience from these challenging games.
CSB Take
The Loyola Marymount men’s water polo team showed resilience against nationally ranked opponents UCLA and UC Santa Barbara, especially in the narrow defeat to the Gauchos. Contributions from key players like Nick Leung and Luka Dimic demonstrate offensive promise. As the Lions prepare for the MPSF Invite, learning from these high-level matchups will be crucial to advancing their competitive standing in the season ahead.
Source: Original report
