STOCKTON, Calif. – The #10 Pacific men's water polo team will travel to Southern California for five games this weekend, featuring four contests in the 2023 Gary Troyer Tournament, hosted by Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Pomona-Pitzer.
 
The Tigers will face Claremont-Mudd Scripps (8-4) and Pomona-Pitzer (2-9) on Friday and will compete against Redlands (7-3) and Cal Lutheran (3-6) on Saturday. Following the Gary Troyer Tournament, Pacific will lock horns with #3 USC (9-2) on Sunday.
 
Participating in the Gary Troyer Tournament for a second straight year, the Tigers go toe-to-toe with four of the top seven NCAA Division III teams across the two-day event.
 
Pacific is 4-0 all-time against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, winning the last matchup on Sept. 18, 2016, in the Aggie Roundup at UC Davis. The Tigers are 3-0 all-time against Pomona-Pitzer, facing the Sagehens in the 2022 Gary Troyer Tournament and earning a 17-11 victory. Fifth year Rene Peralta and junior Gil Gvishi each scored a pair of goals in that win.
 
Pacific is 7-0 all-time against Redlands, going back to 2005 and winning the most-recent matchup 17-5 on Sept. 18, 2016, as part of the Aggie Roundup. The Tigers are 3-0 all-time against Cal Lutheran, taking the latest matchup 21-5 on Sept. 27, 2014.
 
Wrapping up the three-day weekend, Pacific takes on the Trojans in a key national contest. The Tigers secured a 15-13 win over USC last season in the home opener in Stockton, which marked Pacific's third victory in the last four meetings in the series. Both teams have losses this season to #1 UCLA and #2 California, while sweeping the rest of their respective schedules to date.
 
Fresh from an off week to prepare for the road trip, the Tigers' offense will be well-rested and tested as graduate student Stefan Vavic faces his former team in the Trojans. Vavic paces Pacific with 13 assists through seven games this season, including a tally of four or more assists in three games. Defensively, senior Lewis Gale has guarded the Tigers' goal in all seven games this year, posting a 4-2 record with 54 saves and 13 steals.
 
WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
Friday, Sept. 29
1:40 p.m. – Claremont-Mudd-Scripps vs. Pacific – Matt M. Alexrood Pool
5:40 p.m. – Pomona-Pitzer vs. Pacific – Haldeman Pool

Saturday, Sept. 30
10:20 a.m. – Redlands vs. Pacific – Matt M. Alexrood Pool
2:20 p.m. – Cal Lutheran vs. Pacific – Matt M. Alexrood Pool

Sunday, Oct. 1
1 p.m. – #3 USC vs. Pacific – Uytengsu Aquatics Center