Facing No. 12 UC San Diego in its final home game at Campus Pool on Saturday, the No. 17 UCSB women’s water polo team fell behind early and couldn’t find the way back in a 10-6 defeat.
With one game left in the regular season, the Gauchos are now 11-11 overall and 1-4 in Big West play. The Tritons improve to 18-9 overall and 3-2 in the conference.
Caitlyn Snyder and Leigh Lyter each scored two goals for the Gauchos.
UCSD came out hot with a five-goal first quarter. The Tritons led 2-0 before Claire Kelly put the Gauchos on the board with her lone score of the day. The visitors responded with another goal 10 seconds later and took a 5-1 lead into the second.
The Triton lead became 6-1 with 6:36 to go in the opening half, but Leigh Lyter scored two straight in quick succession to try and closed the gap. Caitlyn Snyder scored on a power play with seven seconds left before the break to send the Gauchos into halftime down 7-4.
The second half started the way the first half ended, with Snyder finding the back of the net to make it a 7-5 game at the 5:37 mark of the third. However, UCSD’s defense tightened up from there, allowing just one UCSB goal the rest of the way.
UCSD ended the third quarter on a 3-0 run, going up 10-5 to seal the deal. The only goal of the fourth quarter came from Aidan Flynn with 6:40 to go.
Freshman goalkeeper Taylor McEvilly played the entire second half, allowing just three Triton goals while posting three saves and three steals.
Lyter finished with two goals for the first time since the Gauchos last faced the Tritons In their final game at the Barbara Kalbus Invitational, when she scored four times. It was the 13th multi-goal performance of the year for the Manhattan Beach, Calif. native.
Snyder finished with multiple goals, assists and drawn exclusions, three categories she leads the Gauchos in this year. She has had at least one assist in 14 consecutive outings.
Santa Barbara closes out the regular season at No. 10 UC Davis next Saturday at noon.