No. 9 Water Polo Drops Game at No. 12 Princeton

Sunday, September 13

Princeton, NJ

12:30 PM ET / 9:30 AM PT

Pepperdine University

4-5

Princeton

6-0

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Pepperdine	3	0	4	2	9
Princeton	3	2	3	4	12

9/13/2026 2:34:00 PM | Men's Water Polo

Box Score

PRINCETON, N.J. — No. 9 Pepperdine water polo (4-6) was defeated by a score of 12-9 at No. 12 Princeton (8-0) Sunday afternoon from DeNunzio Pool.

For the second straight game, the Waves battled back from a four-goal deficit to tie the game in the second half, with Princeton eventually prevailing with four of the final five goals.

Eight different Waves found the back of the cage with goals, led by Erik Ionescu as the lone Wave with multiple tallies. Ionescu paced the squad with four points on the day to go with two steals, with Cade Anderton and Tyce di Pretoro also logging two points and two steals.

Jon Carcarey led the way defensively with two steals and two field blocks while chipping in offensively with a goal. Max Smirnov logged six saves and four steals in the cage for the Waves.

"I'm very proud of how the team battled back from a four-goal deficit and tied the game," noted head coach Merrill Moses following the game. "Unfortunately, the fourth quarter did not go our way and we ended up not completing the comeback against an extremely talented team. We will watch video and learn from our mistakes this weekend and prepare for the MPSF Invite next weekend."

Pepperdine answered an early power play goal from the Tigers with Milo Joseph firing in from close range in the first minute after drawing the start at center. Carcarey tallied the next with Ivan Khramtsov also getting a goal from the center position, as Princeton answered each Pepperdine goal early to make it a 3-3 game heading into the second period.

Both defenses were locked in throughout the second frame, each going scoreless through the opening four minutes. Princeton's Enrique Nuno was the lone player to score in the second period, netting a 6-on-5 goal before an even strength tally in the final minute. Pepperdine was shutout in the period, and trailed 5-3 at halftime.

Princeton kept its momentum to begin the second half, netting three of the first four scores to jump out to an 8-4 advantage. As it's done all season, Pepperdine battled back from a multi-goal deficit, beginning with consecutive extra-man goals from Anderton and Ionescu to bring it back to a two-goal game. di Pretoro then scored his eighth goal of the season to make it an 8-7 Princeton lead heading into the final eight minutes.

The Waves were able to even the score for the first time since the opening period on the opening possession of the fourth, as Brian Barnuevo fired home to even the score. With the team's trading stops, Princeton got back on the front foot with tallies at the 5:16 and 4:10 mark to go ahead 10-8.

Pepperdine got back in it with Ionescu converting a five-meter penalty with 2:59 left, which was followed by the Tigers hitting the post on a five-meter penalty opportunity of their own just after. However, Princeton was able to get redemption from the spot, scoring a five-meter with 1:12 remaining to make it an 11-9 game. The Tigers got the crucial stop it needed on Pepperdine's next possession, before putting the game away with another goal to bring the final score to 12-9.

The 6-on-5 play proved the difference in the game, with Pepperdine going 1-for-5 while Princeton converted 4-of-5 opportunities.

The Waves will return this weekend at the MPSF Invite (Sept. 18-20) hosted by Stanford in Palo Alto. A schedule for the tournament will be announced in the coming days.

ABOUT PEPPERDINE WATER POLO
Pepperdine water polo has seen success spanning decades under Terry Schroeder who gave the reins to Merrill Moses following the 2023 season. Highlighted by its national championship in 1997 with Moses as the starting goalie, the Waves have reached the NCAA Tournament on 13 occasions and recently won the inaugural WCC Regular Season Championship in 2023. Overall, the program has seen 67 athletes garner All-American honors while boasting a winning record in 37 of 51 seasons.

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