SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Freshman goalkeeper Benjamin Gronbach made a career-high ten saves, but the #16 Pacific men's water polo team ultimately dropped a close contest to #20 Santa Clara in overtime, 13-12, Friday at Sullivan Aquatic Center.
 
Taking in their first-ever West Coast Conference road game, the Tigers fall to 0-2 in conference play and 11-10 overall. The Broncos earned their first conference win of the season and climbed up to a .500 record at 11-11.
 
Junior Gil Gvishi and graduate student Stefan Vavic carried the torch offensively, finding the back of the net three times each. Fifth-year senior Rene Peralta and junior Daniel Viscia each added a pair of goals.
 
Gronbach earned the start in goal, making his sixth appearance of the season. Gronbach played a critical role, stopping shots left and right to keep the Tigers within reach all afternoon. Neither led by more than a goal throughout the game.
 
After the Tigers and Broncos traded a pair of goals through the first eight minutes, Santa Clara took a slight 5-4 advantage into halftime.
 
Vavic opened up the third quarter firing a shot through traffic to level the playing field at 5-5. Gvishi completed his hat trick in the third quarter and momentarily gave Pacific a 7-6 lead, but Santa Clara ended the third frame with the final two goals to have an 8-7 edge.
 
In a back-and-forth fourth period where every possession was critical, the Tigers were able to quickly respond to tie the game at 8-8 and at 9-9. The Broncos stormed back to regain the lead with a couple minutes to spare in regulation. With one last possession in the fourth quarter, Peralta bounced in a shot to knot the game up at 11-11 with 11 seconds left to force overtime.
 
In the first overtime period, Santa Clara converted on a penalty shot, giving the home team the 12-11 advantage early on. With 50 seconds remaining on the clock, junior Declan McJilton rifled in a shot to deadlock the score at 12-12. Gronbach closed out the first overtime period, making a key save to keep the score tied.
 
The second overtime period saw the Broncos strike first midway through the frame to secure a 13-12 lead. Vavic let a shot go in Pacific's final attempt to tie it up, but the Santa Clara defense held their ground and claimed the 13-12 victory.
 
The Tigers return home to face #14 San Jose State at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 29 at the Chris Kjeldsen Pool at the Douglass M. Eberhardt Aquatics Center. Tickets can be purchased online here or by calling the ticket office at 209-946-2474.