UCI’s Worst Season Clunks to a Close

It was a fitting end for the UC Irvine men’s water polo team.

Finishing the worst season in the school’s 35-year water polo history, the Anteaters lost to UC Santa Barbara, 6-4, Friday in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation men’s water polo championships at UC Irvine.

The Gauchos advanced to the first round, where they lost to top-seeded UCLA on Friday.

“This was absolutely the worst . . . worst . . . worst season I’ve ever had,” said UC Irvine Coach Ted Newland, who has been leading the Anteater program since 1966. “I could never get this team to gel. I’ve never seen a team figure out so many ways to lose a game.”

UC Irvine finished 17-18, 0-8 in conference play. Previously, the Anteaters’ worst record was in 1990 when they finished 13-15, 3-7 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.

Newland’s frustration was apparent during the game as he watched his team take 19 shots, with many sailing over the cage, hitting the crossbar or Gaucho goalie Trevor Spence, who made seven saves.

“We didn’t have it,” Newland said. “We couldn’t shoot today. We couldn’t do anything . . . and the penalties.”

Penalties by UC Irvine accounted for four goals by UC Santa Barbara--three of them on man-up situations and one on a penalty shot.

The Gauchos’ last goal seemed to summarize the Anteaters’ entire season as sophomore Jeff Powers was ejected and committed another foul immediately afterward, drawing a four-meter penalty shot, which UC Santa Barbara’s Joey Pacelli, a former Villa Park High standout, converted.

“No one ever stepped up this year. There was no leadership,” Newland said. “I don’t think I’ve ever spent so much time with a team or coached as hard than with this team. I’m starting to think maybe I can’t coach water polo anymore.”

Tony Grosso scored two goals and Andy Coffman and Dan Hayes each scored one for UCI. Pacelli, Amit Seker, Tom Coughlan, Paul Rave, Kevin Ricks and Patrick Treman scored for UC Santa Barbara (11-13).

In other first-round games:

California 8, Long Beach State 6--Spencer Dornin, formerly of Laguna Beach High, scored two goals, including a two-pointer to lead the Bears to the semifinals against UCLA at noon today.

UCLA 13, UC Santa Barbara 8--The top-seeded Bruins scored five fourth-quarter goals.

Pacific 10, USC 9--Pacific’s Chris Lund converted a one-on-one breakaway with 14 seconds left in regulation to lift the sixth-seeded Tigers over third-seeded USC, the defending NCAA champion. Pacific plays Stanford today at 1:30 p.m. in the other semifinal.

Stanford 6, Pepperdine 3--Former Foothill High goalkeeper Nick Ellis made nine saves for second-seeded Stanford.