DAVIS, Calif. -- Michael Plastino followed up his four-goal performance in the first round on Friday with three goals on Saturday afternoon, while goalkeeper Aaron Wilson stuffed 12 shots, lifting the No. 11-ranked and top-seeded UC Davis men's water polo team into the finals of the Western Water Polo Association Tournament with an 8-5 victory over fourth-seeded Loyola Marymount at Schaal Aquatics Center.

The Aggies moved to 17-8 overall on the year and will take on No. 3-seeded, and reigning conference champion, California Baptist in Sunday's title tilt at Noon. The Lions will take on No. 2-seeded UC San Diego in the third-place game at 10 a.m.

Will Nomura and Ben Fleming added a pair of goals each, while Levi Murtaugh added another score, but it was the defense that took control from there, limiting LMU to just 5-of-27 shooting (.185) for the match and just 2-of-5 on the powerplay.

The two teams traded goals to start the match, heading into the first quarter tied at two apiece on Plastino's first goal of the game. That score started a 3-0 run by the Aggies, giving them a lead that they would not relinquish.

UC Davis went into the locker room up 5-3 at the break and each team could manage only a single goal each in the third, keeping it close heading into the final eight minutes. Fleming then put the result out of reach, scoring just five seconds into the quarter and added his second 40 seconds later for an 8-4 advantage.

LMU could manage only a single goal at the 3:46 mark, shooting just 1-for-7 in the final six minutes with Wilson coming up with four of his 12 stops in that stretch and Plastino knocking down one in the field to clinch the victory.
 

---

ABOUT UC DAVIS
Centrally located between San Francisco and Lake Tahoe, over 700 student-athletes across 25 teams enjoy an unrivaled undergraduate experience at the fifth-ranked public school in the country. 

Ranked annually in the nation's top 10 in diversity and students' social mobility, UC Davis and its innovative Aggie EVO System helps student-athletes develop passions, connect with a comprehensive network of alums and industry leaders, gain real-world experience, and thrive as a young professional following a successful launch to full-time employment or graduate school.