STOCKTON, Calif. – Kicking off a new era in the West Coast Conference, the #14 Pacific men's water polo team (9-5, 0-1) dropped a hard-fought match against #15 California Baptist (14-12, 2-0) by a 17-16 score at Chris Kjeldsen Pool on Homecoming and Family Weekend.
 
The Tigers scored 16 goals, the most the team has scored in a home game this season. Fifth-year senior Rene Peralta paced Pacific's offense with a career-high five goals, including a pair of pivotal penalty shots late in the contest.
 
Junior Daniel Viscia tallied four goals on a game-high seven shots, marking his fourth hat trick of the campaign. Graduate student Stefan Vavic added a goal on a breakaway and two assists for his 10th multi-point performance of the season. 
 
On defense, freshman John Winters earned his first collegiate start in goal, keeping the Tigers within reach of the Lancers all afternoon with a season-high 12 saves.
 
Winters started off strong, making a couple big saves early on in a high-event first period. The Lancers held a slight advantage after eight minutes by a score of 5-4. Viscia scored two of his four goals in the first frame.
 
The Tigers and Lancers traded a pair of goals in the second frame as the visitors carried a one-goal lead, 7-6, at halftime.
 
California Baptist quickly secured a three-goal lead early into the third period, but the late push by the Tigers in the final moments of the frame cut the deficit to one, 11-10.
 
The fourth period saw the Tigers mount a furious comeback and eventually earn their first lead of the game at 16-15 with 2:44 remaining in regulation. However, the Lancers responded to tie the score. On the final possession of the game, California Baptist barely found the back of the net as time expired to earn the 17-16 victory.
 
The Tigers return to action at noon on Sunday, Oct. 15 against #10 UC Santa Barbara, showcasing the final contest of Homecoming and Family Weekend.