By Alex Diaz (@DiazOnSports) Spear Reporter | Photo by Taylor Cowhey – Spear Photographer
The No. 10 San Jose State men’s water polo team (1-0) opened its season dominantly, defeating No. 15 UC Santa Barbara (0-2) by a 10-3 margin on Friday evening at the Triton Invitational.
With a suffocating defense and a balanced offensive attack, the Spartans secured their first season-opening win since 2023.
Freshman Sam Keightley and Junior Mitchell Keightley provided the offensive spark, combining for six goals as a powerful sibling duo. In his collegiate debut, Sam announced himself with a hat trick, while Mitchell matched him with three of his own.
Their teamwork set the pace early and ensured the Spartans to maintain control of the match’s momentum throughout.
Senior driver Mael Suchet netted two goals while senior Maro Tiozzo and sophomore driver Samu Biros added one apiece to cap off a complete team effort. By the final buzzer, six different Spartans had scored, a sign of the depth SJSU hopes to lean on this season.
On the other side of the pool, defense told the story.
SJSU held UCSB to just three goals, frustrating the Gauchos rhythm and limiting their second-chance opportunities. The defensive lockdown marked the fewest goals the Spartans have allowed since Sept. 10, 2023, when they defeated UC Davis 9-3.
The victory also extended the Spartans winning streak over UCSB, dating back to a 12-6 win in the Big West/WCC Challenge on Oct. 1, 2023.
With both history and momentum on its side, SJSU looks poised to build on its top-10 ranking.
