By Caleb Ramos — Content Editor
San Jose State men’s water polo (2-6, 2-6 GCC) split its doubleheader matchup against the No. 5 Pepperdine Waves (11-3, 4-1 GCC) on Saturday. The Waves took the first match 11-8, while the Spartans returned the favor by winning the second match 11-8.
SJSU hosted Pepperdine at the Spartan Recreation and Aquatic Center (SRAC). The first match began at 10:30 A.M. with just an hour left before McDonald’s stopped selling breakfast.
Both teams battled with the morning sun beaming down at their swim caps. The Waves swam out in front 2-1 in the first period.
Despite the Spartans comeback effort, with four goals in the second period, Pepperdine turned on the jets; outscoring SJSU 6-3 in the third and fourth periods. The Waves went on to take the first game of the day 11-8.
The Spartans were outstanding for the first three periods, but failed to close out Pepperdine in the fourth period.
Junior driver Ben Hauschild led all Spartans with five points and three assists.
The second game of the day began at 3 P.M. as the sun shifted from roughly the center of the sky to deep in the west.
SJSU went shot-for-shot with the Waves. Senior center Finn Pardon and junior driver Guillermo Aguirre both found the back of the net once in the first two periods.
Then came the turning point for the Spartans. In the third period SJSU made a splash outscoring Pepperdine 4-1 along with three unanswered goals by the Spartans.
Despite a valiant effort by Pepperdine to comeback, SJSU held on to win 11-8 and handed the Waves their first conference loss of the season.
Pardon led the Spartans with three goals. Freshmen utility players Mark Kis and Gal Haimovich both contributed two goals on their own.
SJSU will seek another victory when it hosts Pepperdine at the SRAC once again on March 7 at 12 P.M to put an end to this trilogy.
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