DAVIS, Ariz. -- Senior utility Riley Venne and freshman center Nir Gross each scored two goals while junior Yurii Hanley tallied three assists, but a third-quarter Bruin run left No. 8t UC Davis falling off the pace in a 12-8 loss to No. 2-ranked and defending NCAA-champion UCLA in men's collegiate water polo action at Schaal Aquatics Center Sunday afternoon.

The Aggies slip to 8-4 for the year. The Bruins remain undefeated, improving to 15-0 overall.

Venne converted a 6-on-5 goal to help kickstart UC Davis to a 3-1 start in the contest, while Gross netted both of his goals in the final nine minutes of the contest. Hanley, senior Colter Knight, and juniors Holden Tamblyn and Keenan Anderson also contributed a goal each. 

Senior R.J. Quigley and sophomore Jonah Addington split the goalkeeping chores with save totals of three and five, respectively. Addington also came up with a stop on a five-meter penalty shot early in the fourth quarter to keep UC Davis within a three-goal margin.

For UCLA, five players – Felix Brozyna Vilim, Ashworth Molthen, Peter Lovas, Quinten Osborne and Jake Cavano – netted two goals apiece. Molthen also had an assist and three steals. Goalkeepers Alex Wolf and Danny Rolan each posted five saves in front of the cage.

UC Davis returns to Western Water Polo Association play with a road game at Concordia on Friday. Game time is noon.

GAME NOTES & HIGHLIGHTS

• UC Davis led 3-1 thanks to three 6-on-5 goals in the first 4:14... Venne, Knight and Hanley scored the three conversions.

• UCLA held off its host from two key runs: a 4-0 stretch to turn that initial 3-1 hole into a 5-3 lead by 3:21 in the second, then three unanswered in the third quarter to extend a 7-6 lead to a 10-6 edge.

• The Bruins scored three goals off five-meter penalties, although Addington blocked Molthen's penalty shot at the 6:40 mark in the fourth to keep UC Davis within a 10-7 deficit.

• Sunday's game marked the tightest margin of loss against UCLA since a 7-5 setback at home on October 17, 2004... The Aggies have never beaten the Bruins, with the 2004 meeting and an 8-7 loss in 1975 standing as the closest calls.

DON'T MISS OUT!
The ninth-annual UC Davis Athletics Brewfest takes place as part of the October 13 Homecoming football game against Idaho State... Tickets for the Brewfest plus the Aggies-Bengals game are now on sale at https://bit.ly/2ooveDI... The Brewfest celebrates UC Davis as the No. 1 academic brewing program in North America... The ticket package includes unlimited tastings at the UC Davis Brewfest, a commemorative tasting mug, and a ticket to the game.

ABOUT UC DAVIS: Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley. The No. 5-ranked public university in the nation according to the Wall Street Journal, and among the top 10 public universities nationwide according to U.S. News and World Report, UC Davis offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.

AGGIE EVO: Established in 2017-18, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation. Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis. Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.