Santa Clara, Calif.---- San Jose State University overcame two three-goal deficits in the first quarter and rallied for a 10-8 lead before losing to Santa Clara University, 11-10, in a men's water polo non-conference match at the Sullivan Aquatic Center.
The #9-ranked Spartans (0-4) trailed 5-4 at halftime and tied the match, 5-5, for the first time in the third quarter on Finn Pardon's only score on the day.
Santa Clara's Craig Ferguson scored two of his match-high four goals in the third quarter as the Broncos regained the lead at 8-6 at the 4:40 mark.
San Jose State answered immediately with scores by Ben Hauschild, Gal Haimovich and Niels Hofmeijer before the end of the quarter giving the Spartans their first lead of the match at 9-8.
Ary Kamen of San Jose State opened the final quarter with his second goal of the match before Santa Clara rallied and held on for the win. Matt Peterson, on a 5-meter penalty shot, and an even strength goal by Blake DeSousa for the Broncos on back-to-back possessions tied the score at 10-10. Peterson, who scored three times, notched the game winner with 1:07 remaining in regulation.
Haimovich, the Spartans' leading scorer on the day with three goals, had a chance to force overtime, but his shot was field blocked by Chase Raisin of the Broncos.
Mason Smith and Noah Pendleton each played a half in goal for San Jose State. Smith made five saves in the first half and Pendleton, the same after halftime.
Santa Clara's Sean Tehaney stopped seven shots in the first half and Chase Zamborelli was credited with five saves in the second half.
The two teams meet again in another non-conference match, Friday, March 5, at 2:30 p.m. on the Santa Clara campus.
San Jose State University men's water polo
San Jose State at Santa Clara
February 27, 2021
Non-conference
| Score by quarters | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| #10-San Jose State (0-4) | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 10 |
| Santa Clara (1-0) | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 11 |
| Goal scoring |
| San Jose State – Gai Haimovich, 3; Ary Kamen, 2; Finn Pardon, Guillermo Aguirre, Utku Karhan, NielsHofmeijer, Ben Hauschild, 1, each. |
| Santa Clara – Craig Ferguson, 4; Matt Peterson, 3; Jake Taylor, Blake DeSousa, Bennett Stafford, Dominick Kirk, 1, each. |
| Goalkeeper saves |
| San Jose State – Mason Smith (16:00) – 5. Noah Pendleton (16:00) – 5. |
| Santa Clara – Sean Tehaney (16:00) – 7; Chase Zamborelli (16:00), 5. |
| Ejections |
| San Jose State – 4. |
| Santa Clara – 9. |