Long Beach State University
UC Irvine
Men’s Water Polo Faces UC Irvine for Black and Blue Rivalry Match on Thursday Night
10/29/2025 11:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
This will be the first matchup between both teams this season.
LONG BEACH, Calif. – Looking to stay undefeated in conference play, No. 9 Long Beach State will face No. 15 UC Irvine on the road for the Black and Blue Rivalry match on Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Anteater Aquatics Complex.
Long Beach State (13-8, 3-0 Big West) grabbed an important win over No. 15 UC Santa Barbara, 11-9, at home this past Saturday to remain perfect in conference play. Gabi Acosta and Caleb Francisco combined for seven goals, and backup goalie Joe Jenness shut down the Gauchos in the second half, allowing only two goals while recording eight saves in under 16 minutes of play.
Acosta leads the conference with 59 goals, while Francisco has 47 on the year, tied for fifth in the Big West. Senior Toring Stanley has a team-high 23 assists and ranks third on the team with 28 goals. Graduate student Jason O'Donnell leads the league in field blocks with 12, while sophomore Corbin Stanley leads the team in earned ejections with 32. Goalkeepers William Whitstone and Jenness have combined for 181 saves this season.
UC Irvine (14-8, 2-1 Big West) faced Cal State Fullerton on the road to earn its second straight conference win and looks to build momentum against the Beach. In league play, UCI defeated UCSB, 10-9, and the Titans, 15-7, with both games on the road. Their lone conference loss came to No. 6 UC Davis at home, 15-12. The Aggies are tied with the Beach in the standings with three wins each.
Leading the Anteaters on offense is junior Johann Thrall with 44 goals, followed by senior Luka Kristic with 38. Cole Francisco leads the team in assists with 29, and goalkeeper Zayd Mahmoud has recorded 137 saves while adding eight steals and two assists this year.
The Beach and the Anteaters will face each other for the first time this season as the ball drops at 6 p.m. at the Anteater Aquatics Complex. Live stats can be followed through TheFOSH.net.
