Malibu, Calif. - The No. 2 Pacific men's water polo team received five goals each from Krisztian Laczkovics and Devon Thumwood in a 16-11 victory over No. 9 Pepperdine Saturday.
Pacific's 20th win of the season sets up a showdown between MPSF undefeateds and a the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country as Pacific plays at No. 1 UCLA Sunday.
Ben Stevenson scored twice while Pacific also saw goals scored by Derek Clappis, Alex Obert, Aleksandar Petrovic, and Tim Reeves.
Laczkovics also added three assists for an eight-point day.
Brady Moore posted 12 saves in goal as the Tigers improved to 20-2 overall and 6-0 in MPSF play.
Obert opened the scoring, covering a feed from Stevenson 53 seconds in. But Sean Thomas evened things up for the Waves at the 5:59 mark. After Stevenson hit the post, Pepperdine took a 2-1 lead as Christopher Dilworth scored on the ensuing possession.
Thumwood knotted the game at two, finishing a pass from Ikko Saito. On the 6-on-5, Laczkovics set up Stevenson for a power-play goal and a 3-2 lead with 2:55 left in the first. Thomas struck again for Pepperdine, but the Tigers drew a five-meter penalty and Aleksandar Petrovic finished. The first quarter ended with a flurry as Dilworth scored again to tie the game at 4-4, and Laczkovics finished a 6-on-5 off an assist from Stevenson as the Tigers led by one after one.
In the second quarter, Marko Asic tied the game at 5-5 with 4:31 to go before the half.
Laczkovics unleashed back-to-back goals, the first on the power play as the Tigers led 7-5. Mark Urban and Asic scored back-to-back goals for the Waves, but Laczkovics posted his fourth with 30 seconds left in the half.
In the third, Stevenson provided a two-goal cushion with his second goal of the game, with Laczkovics picking up the assist. Asic answered back with his third of the game to bring the Waves within 9-8.
Laczkovics responded with his fifth goal with 3:41 to go, tying his career high. Tim Reeves capped a Tiger possession by putting a Saito pass into the back of the net for an 11-8 lead. Asic converted a five-meter penalty shot, but Thumwood answered back for a 12-9 Pacific lead.
Asic tallied again to close the third, but in the fourth, Thumwood completed the hat trick with 6:24 to go to restore a three-goal lead at 13-10. Thumwood tacked on another with 3:55 to play and scored on the power-play with 2:36 remaining for his fifth.
Derek Clappis converted a five-meter penalty for a 16-10 lead before the Waves' Christian Bridley tacked on a goal in the final minute for the Waves.
Zack Rhodes made nine saves in goal for Pepperdine. The Waves fall to 11-10 overall, 1-4 in MPSF action
Pacific faces No. 1 UCLA (21-0, 5-0 MPSF) on Sunday at 1 p.m.
