MALIBU, Calif. – The #4 Pepperdine men's water polo team defeated Westcliff 20-7 in the afternoon before gutting out a 15-13 victory over the #13 UCSB Gauchos in the evening.
 
The Waves converted on three out of their five power plays against the Gauchos, while holding UCSB to a .286 power play percentage (2-7). Pepperdine also outshot UCSB .469 to .448 in the game.
 
BIG WAVES

• Junior attacker Adam Csapo (Budapest, Hungary) posted a hat-trick in both games today, including three goals and two assists against the Gauchos.
• Junior attacker Sandor Gal (Budapest, Hungary) tallied four goals and three assists against UCSB, while tabbing a total of 10 points on the day.
• Fifth year attacker Christian Hosea (San Clemente, Calif.) notched four goals and four assists against UCSB, and had a total of six goals today.
• Freshman attacker Erik Ionescu (Budapest, Hungary) had two goals and four assists against UCSB.

WESTCLIFF RECAP
 
Led by freshman goalie Max Smirnov (Petah Tikva, Israel), the Waves stifled the Warriors and held them scoreless in the first period. Gal scored the first two goals of the game, followed by scores from Hosea, Jon Carcarey (Santa Maria, Calif.) and Csapo as Pepperdine took a 5-0 lead into the second quarter.
 
Westcliff opened the second period with a goal, but Dane Howell (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and Milo Joseph (Malibu, Calif.) scored back-to-back goals to put the Waves in front by six, 7-1. After a couple of goals by the Warriors, the Waves would score five times in the last 2:15 of the quarter, including two more goals from Csapo, and take a 13-3 advantage into the break.
 
Redshirt freshman Adam Yost (Los Angeles, Calif.) dished out his first career assist to Joseph who scored the opening goal of the third quarter for Pepperdine. Bronson Birdsall (Kailua, Hawai'i) and Howell also found the back of the net in the period as the Waves held a commanding 16-5 lead with eight minutes to play.
 
Pepperdine would tack on four goals in the final period, including two from Reed Pantaleon (Huntington Beach, Calif.). Nick Bryant (Newport Beach, Calif.) also picked up his first career assist on a pass to Pantaleon in the fourth quarter. The Waves would defeat the Warriors with a final score of 20-7.
 
WEST 0-3-2-2 — 7
PEPP 5-8-3-4 —20
 
Pepperdine goals: Adam Csapo 3, Dane Howell 3, Bronson Birdsall 2, Sandor Gal 2, Christian Hosea 2, Milo Joseph 2, Reed Pantaleon 2, Jon Carcarey 1, Erik Ionescu 1, Owen Tift 1, Charles Warmington 1.
 
UCSB RECAP
 
Hosea found the back of the net on the opening possession before a pair of goals from Gal put the Waves in front 3-0 less than three minutes into the game. UCSB would score twice in a row, but two more goals in the quarter from Hosea helped the Waves take a 5-4 lead into the second period.
 
After the Gauchos tied the game 6-all, back-to-back goals from Joseph and Csapo put the Waves back in front by two with 2:50 left in the half. UCSB then made it a one goal game, but Ionescu converted a 6-on-5 opportunity with four seconds left in the quarter to put Pepperdine back in front by two at the half, 9-7.
 
The Gauchos would fight back once more as they opened the third quarter with a goal, but Hosea and Ionescu both found the back of the net to keep the Waves in front by three, 11-8. UCSB would score three of the last four goals in the quarter and make it a one goal game in favor of Pepperdine with eight minutes left to play.
 
A power play goal from Csapo followed by goals from Joseph and Gal gave the Waves a 15-11 lead with 3:04 left in the game. A couple more saves from freshman goalie Jaxon Leach (San Diego, Calif.), who had 13 in the contest, would seal the game for Pepperdine. The Gauchos scored two late goals, but Pepperdine would come away with a 15-13 victory for their third win over a ranked opponent this year.
 
UCSB 4-3-4-2 — 13
PEPP 5-4-3-3 —15
 
Pepperdine goals: Sandor Gal 4, Christian Hosea 4, Adam Csapo 3, Erik Ionescu 2, Milo Joseph 2.
 
UP NEXT
 
Pepperdine will face off against #20 California Baptist in a non-conference matchup at 4:30 p.m. tomorrow at the WCC-Big West Challenge in Los Angeles, Calif.