Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CLAREMONT, Calif. – The #4 Pepperdine men's water polo team (14-3) split the day at the Gary Troyer Tournament as the Waves fell to UC Irvine (9-6) 20-10 in the morning before bouncing back and defeating Concordia (6-14) 20-19 in the afternoon.
 
In the game against the Golden Eagles, the Waves outshot the opposition .645 to .594.
 
BIG WAVES

• Redshirt freshman Bronson Birdsall (Kailua, Hawai'i) had a total of four goals on the day.
• Junior attacker Adam Csapo (Budapest, Hungary) collected six goals and two assists in two games of work today.
• Junior utility Milo Joseph (Malibu, Calif.) notched four goals over the two contests.
• Junior attacker Conor Brough (Dana Point, Calif.) dished out five assists today.

 
UC IRVINE RECAP
 
After a scoreless first two minutes, UC Irvine took a 1-0 lead with a goal on a 6-on-5. The Anteaters then scored the games' next goal, but three straight goals from Reed Pantaleon (Huntington Beach, Calif.), Adam Csapo (Budapest, Hungary) and Bronson Birdsall (Kailua, Hawai'i) put the Waves in front by one. UC Irvine scored the last two goals of the quarter and held a one goal advantage after the first period.
 
Csapo and Dane Howell (Huntington Beach, Calif.) both found the back of the cage in the second quarter, but UC Irvine would score seven of the nine goals in the period to propel the Anteaters to a six-goal lead at the break, 11-5.
 
UC Irvine scored back-to-back goals to open the second half before Milo Joseph (Malibu, Calif.) added his name to the stat sheet with a goal of his own off an assist from Conor Brough (Dana Point, Calif.). Hosea and Birdsall would both find the back of the net in the third, but the Anteaters would take a 17-8 lead into the fourth quarter.
 
Pepperdine would score twice in the final period, while the Anteaters came away with a 20-10 victory over the Waves 20-10 at Haldeman Pool on Saturday morning.
 
UCI 4-7-6-3 — 20
PEPP 3-2-3-2 — 10
 
Pepperdine goals: Bronson Birdsall 2, Adam Csapo 2, Milo Joseph 2, Anthony D'Ambra 1, Christian Hosea 1, Dane Howell 1, Reed Pantaleon 1.
 
CONCORDIA RECAP
 
In a game that saw 10 ties, the Waves ultimately prevailed over the Golden Eagles 20-19 on Saturday afternoon at Axelrood Pool. Csapo was tied for the leading scorer in the game as he tallied four goals. A total of eight different Waves also collected multiple goals in the contest.
 
After the game was tied 14-14 and then again 15-15 at the end of the third period, Pepperdine found three straight goals thanks to Panteleon, Ionescu and Csapo who gave the Waves an 18-15 advantage with 4:48 left to play. Concordia would cut Pepperdine's lead to two after a goal with a man advantage, but a late goal from Howell would put the Waves in front by three with less than a minute to play.
 
Despite committing more fouls and converting on less powerplays, Pepperdine would go on to defeat Concordia 20-19 and finish the Gary Troyer Tournament with a 3-1 record.
 
CON 5-6-4-4 — 19
PEPP 6-6-3-5 — 20
 
Pepperdine goals: Adam Csapo 4, Bronson Birdsall 2, Anthony D'Ambra 2, Christian Hosea 2, Erik Ionescu 2, Milo Joseph 2, Owen Tift 2, Charles Warmington 2, Dane Howell 1, Clay Kaneko 1.
 
UP NEXT
 
Pepperdine will return to Malibu, Calif. as the Waves take on #1 UCLA on Saturday, October 12 at noon at Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool. The first 50 fans at the game will receive a free cowboy hat, and tickets to the game can be purchased here.
 
FOLLOW
 
Follow @PeppWaterPolo on X for updates and check out PepperdineWaves.com and Facebook (/PeppWaterPolo) for releases and more information. Find the Waves on Instagram @peppwaterpolo.