Sept. 18, 2011

STOCKTON, Calif. - Senior utility Luke Collins scored three goals, including two straight that cracked an early 3-3 tie, to lead 11th-ranked UC Davis to a 10-7 win over 16th-ranked Santa Clara in the ninth-place game of the NorCal Invitational men's water polo tournament at Delta College's June Fergusson Pool Sunday. The Aggies also scored a 12-9 victory over No. 13 Concordia earlier in the day.

UC Davis improves to 8-3 for the season, while the win over Santa Clara improves its Western Water Polo Association mark to 5-0.

Senior Aaron Salit and junior Matt Vowell added two goals each for the Aggies. Chris Richardson, Trevor Allen and Colin Hicks chipped in one goal apiece, while senior goalkeeper Kevin Peat tallied 11 saves against the Broncos. UC Davis took a 3-0 lead within the first five minutes of the game, but saw that edge diminish to a 3-3 tie when SCU's David Guibord scored on the opening possession of the second period.

Collins hit a five-meter penalty shot on the Aggies' next turn down the course to take the lead for good. He then converted a 6-on-5 opportunity at the 5:19 mark to extend the UC Davis margin to 5-3. The Aggies held a 7-4 lead at the break, maintaining at least a two-goal cushion the rest of the way.

UC Davis advanced to the ninth-place consolation bracket final by virtue of the three-goal win over Concordia in Sunday afternoon's action. Salit scored five goals while Allen and senior Walter Eggert performed hat tricks. Peat posted 13 saves in front of the cage.

The Aggies trailed for most of the first half, facing a 6-5 deficit at the break. Concordia's Augi Arcidiacono and Caleb Hamilton scored goals within a 20-second span to craft a 4-2 lead early in the second period. Then after Salit and Eggert hit natural goals to tie the contest at 4-4, the Eagles struck again for two more.

After tempers flared midway through the third period in the wake of another Arcidiacono goal, UC Davis scored four unanswered. Salit scored at the 3:48 and 2:15 marks in the third quarter, then netted his fifth on an extra-man opportunity at 7:23 in the fourth, pushing the Aggies' lead to 11-7. CU had four 6-on-5 chances in the final period but was only successful on one. Peat stopped four shots in that frame, helping UC Davis close out the win.

UC Davis returns home to host the Aggie Shootout from Sept. 23-25, starting with a 6 p.m. contest against Cal Baptist at Schaal Aquatics Center on Friday evening.

NORCAL INVITATIONAL WATER POLO TOURNAMENT, DAY TWO
June Fergusson Pool (Delta College - Stockton, Calif.)
UC Davis games only.

#13 Concordia	2	4	1	2	-	9
#11 UC Davis	2	3	5	2	-	12

GOALS - CU: Augi Arcidiacono 4, Caleb Hamilton 2, Gabor Antal 2, Rex Learmouth 1. UC Davis: Aaron Salit 5, Walter Eggert 3, Trevor Allen 3, Chris Richardson 1.

GOALIE SAVES - CU: Ryan Freerks 8 (32:00). UC Davis: Kevin Peat 13 (32:00).

#16 Santa Clara	2	2	2	1	-	7
#11 UC Davis (8-3, 5-0)	3	4	2	1	-	10

GOALS - SCU: James Case 2, Kyle Suber 1, Marcus Akerland 1, David Guibord 1, Theo Nasser 1, Jimmy Moore 1. UC Davis: Luke Collins 3, Matt Vowell 2, Aaron Salit 2, Chris Richardson 1, Trevor Allen 1, Colin Hicks 1.

GOALIE SAVES - SCU: Michael Wishart 6 (32:00). UC Davis: Kevin Peat 11 (32:00).