Box Score MALIBU, Calif. - No. 18 Santa Clara men's water polo scored six goals in the final quarter to cut into a five-goal deficit, but it ultimately was not enough as the Broncos fell 17-16 to 13th-ranked Pepperdine at the Raleigh Runnell Memorial Pool. SCU dropped to 0-2 in West Coast Conference play and are 8-9 overall while the Waves improved to 2-1 in league play and 8-10 overall.

Santa Clara was the one with the hot hand in the early stages as they mounted a four-goal advantage of their own at 9-5 in the second period with 2:20 remaining. Pepperdine pushed back, however, with three unanswered goals of their own to make it 9-8 in favor of the Broncos at the half. The Waves tacked on three more scores to open the third period before Charlie Engs found the back of the net to finally put an end to the scoring spree and make it a one-goal game at 11-10. Once again, however, the Waves used another 3-0 run that closed the third period to take a 14-10 advantage into the fourth. 

Pepperdine would tack on one more goal at the start of the fourth to make it 15-10 before Riccardo De Simon answered for the Broncos. The Waves answered once again to push the lead right back to five before SCU began to furiously chip away with goals from De Simon, Ashton Brown and Henry Engs to make it a two-score game at 16-14. Milo Joseph delivered what would prove to be Pepperdine's final goal of the game to provide some breathing room with 4:22 remaining, but De Simon answered for Santa Clara on the ensuing possession and Brown took advantage of a powerplay opportunity to make it a one-score affair at 17-16 with just three minutes remaining. Unfortunately for the Broncos, that was all the scoring they would find for the rest of the game as the Waves escaped with a one-goal victory.

De Simon led the Broncos with six goals while Brown finished with a career-high four goals. Henry Engs also had a hat trick with three goals, tying his season and career high. Harrison Labrosse played all 32 minutes in the net where he finished with four stops. 

The Broncos will remain in SoCal for ano ther WCC match tomorrow against No. 8 LMU. 

Santa Clara Goals:
De Simon (6), Brown (4), H. Engs (3), C. Engs (1), Rizof (1), Baird (1)