LOS ANGELES, Calif. — A slow third quarter and a lack of execution in power play opportunities proved to be the deciding factor in Saturday evening's top-ten contest between No. 8 UC Davis (7-5) and No. 4 Pepperdine University (11-2). The Aggies dropped the contest 15-11 after the Waves outscored UC Davis 5-1 in the third period.
Three of Pepperdine's five goals in the period came in man-up situations, while the Aggies converted on just two of their 15 power play chances for the contest.
The game opened as a back-and-forth affair, with goals coming from Will Nomura and Tyler Mrkaich in the first period to help keep the Aggies within one.
Pepperdine built a brief two goal advantage in the second, but two goals from Aleix Aznar Beltran and rips from Max Stryker and Colin Nichols helped UC Davis into the half still down just one score.
Ben Fleming put away the first goal of the second half to bring the Aggies even for a moment before the Waves poured in six straight scores over the course of the next six minutes.
UC Davis showed fight in the fourth, winning the period by a goal, but it was too little, too late. Will Nomura put in his second of the game, while Holden Neach, William Fosselman and Timothy Kerr joined him in the goal column.
JT Kujawa drew five exclusions, which amounted for one third of all exclusions drawn by the team in the game. In the goal, Aaron Wilson collected 12 saves and a steal.
The Aggies are bound for the MPSF Invitational seventh-place game against No. 11 Long Beach State. The matchup is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Sunday morning.
