SAN JOSE, Calif.----Freshman Bende Pardi scored a game-high three goals as No. 10 San Jose State University won its seventh consecutive contest in an 11-9 victory over No. 9 Pepperdine in a Golden Coast Conference (GCC) men's water polo match.
The win for the Spartans (15-12, 2-2 GCC) extended the team's longest winning streak since the program was reinstated in 2015, gave San Jose State its best win total in the seven years since its return and moved the team into third place in the conference standings for the first time at the end of an October.
San Jose State never trailed and took the lead for good midway through the first quarter on a Niels Hofmeijer goal igniting a 7-0 Spartan scoring outburst. The Waves (14-10, 1-2 GCC) went into halftime trailing 8-2 after Sean Ferrari scored on a power play with 1:33 before halftime.
"We had our best defensive effort of the season in the first half and managed to hold on for the win. The great defensive effort helped us generate some really dangerous scoring opportunities that the guys were able to convert, especially Bende and Adam (Bado). It's really nice to keep the winning streak going," said San Jose State men's water polo head coach Bruce Watson.
Pepperdine rallied late in the third quarter to trim its deficit to 10-6, but Hofmeijer's second goal of the match at the 5:24 gave the Spartans some breathing room.
San Jose State goalkeeper Yahav Fire made two of his nine saves after Hofmeijer's goal to ensure the victory.
"Yahav is the backbone of our defense and he keeps us in every game. He really got the guys fired up to play today," said Watson.
"We would love to win every game," said Watson about the streak. "We love this, we refuse to lose. So as long as the winning streak continues, I'm happy."
San Jose State plays its final conference match of the season, Saturday, November 6, at UC Santa Barbara (19-7, 1-2 GCC). The Gauchos won their fourth in a row on October 30, defeating No. 15. UC Irvine, 12-9, in a Golden Coast Conference match.
San Jose State University men's water polo
No. 9 San Jose State vs. No. 10 Pepperdine
SRAC Pool, San Jose, Calif.
Golden Coast Conference match
October 30, 2021
| Score by Quarters | Total | |
| No. 10-Pepperdine (14-10, 1-2 GCC) | 1-1-4-3 | 9 |
| No. 9-San Jose State (15-12, 2-2 GCC) | 5-3-2-1 | 11 |
| Scoring Summary |
| Pepperdine – Balazs Kosa, Travis Reynolds, 3, each; Sean Ferrari, 2; Austin Smit, 1. |
| San Jose State – Bende Pardi, 3; Adam Bado, Niels Hofmeijer, 2, each; Mark Kis, Laszlo Szieben, Gal Haimovich, Tomasso Ramacciotti, 1, each. |
| Goalkeeper Saves |
| Pepperdine – John Claude Marco (31:39), 9. Kaden Kaneho (0:21), 0. |
| San Jose State – Yahav Fire, 9. |
| Ejections |
| Pepperdine – 9. |
| San Jose State – 13. |