The No. 13 UC Santa Barbara men’s water polo team, currently on a four-game winning streak, will play two important non-conference games this Saturday at San Jose State’s SRAC Pool. The Gauchos will face No. 9 San Jose State in the morning at 9 a.m., followed by a 3 p.m. matchup against No. 20 Saint Mary’s as they conclude their final pre-conference contests.
Last weekend, UCSB excelled at the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Rare Air Challenge, securing four victories and scoring 20 or more goals in each game, including a program-record 35 goals against Occidental. Key contributors included Hayden Tully, who scored 11 goals; Charlie Johnson, with 10 goals and six assists; Finn Genc, who added nine goals; and freshman Luigi Canepa, who scored eight goals and has been named to the 20-man Cutino Award Watch List—the only freshman to earn this distinction.
San Jose State enters the weekend with a 6-7 record, showing improvement after a recent 20-10 home win over UC Merced. They have a strong contributor in sophomore utility player Sam Keightley, who is also on the Cutino Award Watch List.
Saint Mary’s has a 5-6 record since their season opener against UCSB. The Gaels suffered a 22-8 loss to California in their latest game. Their leading scorers include freshman Leo Hachem with 26 goals and top playmaker Domenico Barilla with 16 assists. Additionally, Canadian player Harry Irwin, who scored Saint Mary’s first-ever goal in their last meeting with UCSB, ranks fifth on the team with 11 goals.
Fans can follow live stats and play-by-play coverage for both games on ucsbgauchos.com.
CSB Take
UC Santa Barbara’s men’s water polo team is entering a pivotal moment in their season, facing high-ranked opponents in their final non-conference matches. The recent scoring surge and program-record offensive output demonstrate the Gauchos’ growing momentum. How they perform against competitive teams like San Jose State and Saint Mary’s will provide a strong indicator of their readiness for the challenges of conference play and potential postseason success.
Source: Original report
