Sunday, November 24
Malibu, Calif.
1:00 P.M.
Long Beach State University
12
vs
14
Pepperdine
Photo by: John Fajardo
Long Beach State Battles Pepperdine, Falls 14-12 in GCC Championship Game
11/24/2019 3:43:00 PM | Men's Water Polo
Austin Stewart and Marwan Darwish named to Golden Coast Conference All-Tournament Team
MALIBU, Calif. – Austin Stewart and Rafael Real Vergara led the Long Beach State offense during the competitive Golden Coast Conference Championship game, but the No. 4 seed Beach ultimately dropped a 14-12 decision to No. 2 seed, and host, Pepperdine on Sunday afternoon.
Stewart recorded a team-leading four goals on six shots, while adding five steals as he was named to the GCC All-Tournament Team along with Marwan Darwish who finished the game with seven saves in goal.
Real Vergara joined Stewart with a multi-goal game as he concluded the contest with three goals on 11 shots, while adding a steal.
The Beach (18-13) and the Waves (24-7) matched each other nearly goal-for-goal in the first quarter, but Long Beach State held a 5-4 lead at the end of the opening frame. The Beach used five different scorers to contribute as Nemanja Bakic, Matt Morris and Stewart each notched a goal from the perimeter, while Theodoros Pateros and Eduardo Wainberg made contact from the center.
Pepperdine bounded back in the second quarter as the Waves outscored the Beach 5-1 to take a 9-6 advantage. The lone goal for Long Beach State during that period came from Real Vergara with just four seconds left of the clock before halftime.
Long Beach State came back from the break in action determined as the Beach tallied three-straight goals to tie the game at 9-all. Real Vergara got the run started, and Stewart notched back-to-back goals to even things up with 5:34 left in the period. After a goal by Pepperdine put the Waves back on top, Real Vergara tallied goal No. 3 to knot the score up once again, before the Waves took the lead (11-10) with just three seconds remaining in the quarter to take a one-goal lead into the final quarter.
The fourth quarter saw the two conference foes continue to battle it out , but Pepperdine managed to come out on top as the Waves extended their lead to 12-10. Stewart's fourth goal of the game brought the Beach within one (12-11) with 4:23 remaining, but the Waves jumped back out in front by two (13-11) 20 seconds later. Garrett Zaan scored on a power play with 3:17 left to close the gap once more, but Pepperdine regained their two-goal cushion with an insurance goal with just three ticks left on the clock.
Long Beach State 5 – 1 – 4 – 2 --- 12
Pepperdine 4 – 5 – 2 – 3 --- 14
Goals
Long Beach State: Stewart 4, Real Vergara 3, Wainberg 1, Bakic 1, Zaan 1, Morris 1, Pateros 1.
Pepperdine: Kosa 4, Ferrari 2, Thomas 2, Dilworth 2, Carpenter 1, Kaneko 1, Gordon 1, Toth 1.
Saves:
Long Beach State: Darwish 7
Pepperdine: Marco 10
Stewart recorded a team-leading four goals on six shots, while adding five steals as he was named to the GCC All-Tournament Team along with Marwan Darwish who finished the game with seven saves in goal.
Real Vergara joined Stewart with a multi-goal game as he concluded the contest with three goals on 11 shots, while adding a steal.
The Beach (18-13) and the Waves (24-7) matched each other nearly goal-for-goal in the first quarter, but Long Beach State held a 5-4 lead at the end of the opening frame. The Beach used five different scorers to contribute as Nemanja Bakic, Matt Morris and Stewart each notched a goal from the perimeter, while Theodoros Pateros and Eduardo Wainberg made contact from the center.
Pepperdine bounded back in the second quarter as the Waves outscored the Beach 5-1 to take a 9-6 advantage. The lone goal for Long Beach State during that period came from Real Vergara with just four seconds left of the clock before halftime.
Long Beach State came back from the break in action determined as the Beach tallied three-straight goals to tie the game at 9-all. Real Vergara got the run started, and Stewart notched back-to-back goals to even things up with 5:34 left in the period. After a goal by Pepperdine put the Waves back on top, Real Vergara tallied goal No. 3 to knot the score up once again, before the Waves took the lead (11-10) with just three seconds remaining in the quarter to take a one-goal lead into the final quarter.
TIE GAME!!! Austin Stewart ties it up with goal No. 3 at 5:34! 9-9 #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/DYsuL2fDx9
— LBSU Water Polo (@LBSUWaterPolo) November 24, 2019
The fourth quarter saw the two conference foes continue to battle it out , but Pepperdine managed to come out on top as the Waves extended their lead to 12-10. Stewart's fourth goal of the game brought the Beach within one (12-11) with 4:23 remaining, but the Waves jumped back out in front by two (13-11) 20 seconds later. Garrett Zaan scored on a power play with 3:17 left to close the gap once more, but Pepperdine regained their two-goal cushion with an insurance goal with just three ticks left on the clock.
Long Beach State 5 – 1 – 4 – 2 --- 12
Pepperdine 4 – 5 – 2 – 3 --- 14
Goals
Long Beach State: Stewart 4, Real Vergara 3, Wainberg 1, Bakic 1, Zaan 1, Morris 1, Pateros 1.
Pepperdine: Kosa 4, Ferrari 2, Thomas 2, Dilworth 2, Carpenter 1, Kaneko 1, Gordon 1, Toth 1.
Saves:
Long Beach State: Darwish 7
Pepperdine: Marco 10
Players Mentioned
Attacker
/ Men's Water Polo
Goalie
/ Men's Water Polo
Utility
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Center
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Attacker
/ Men's Water Polo
Attacker
/ Men's Water Polo
Utility
/ Men's Water Polo
Utility
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