Fourth-ranked UCSB fell to No. 7 Long Beach State, 12-10, in the third-place game at the Golden Coast Conference Men’s Water Polo Tournament in Stockton
The Gauchos (18-8, 5-0) and the 49ers split two tight games during the regular season. The third meeting would prove to be just as highly contested. Long Beach (16-9, 4-2) pulled ahead on Sunday afternoon thanks to attacker Austin Steward, who led all players with four goals.
Mitchell Hamilton led Santa Barbara’s offense with two goals. In the cage, Liam Lenihan was busy with nine saves and two steals.
Long Beach scored two straight to take a 7-6 lead. in the second quarter. Santa Barbara found an equalizer with 28 seconds left in the half thanks to Reed Cotterill, but the 49ers managed to sneak in a goal at the :06 mark to lead 8-7 at halftime.
At the start of the second half, Hamilton tied up the score off an assist from Ivan Gvozdanovic. However, LBSU’s Stewart had a big quarter, scoring twice to give the 49ers an 11-9 lead at the end of the third.
Neither team was able to find a goal early in the fourth until Spencer Likins put one away with an assist from Shane Hauschild at 4:30 off a power play. Long Beach answered with a big a goal of their own at the 2:59 mark, the last score of the game, giving them the 12-10 victory.
Reed Cotterill was named to the All-GCC Tournament Team.