Own Goal Sinks Broncos in Crushing 17-15 Defeat

Photo by Braden Auerbach.

For three and a half quarters, No. 16 Santa Clara men’s water polo went toe-to-toe in a ranked matchup against top-10 opponent UC Davis. But one mistake in the final minutes turned a potential statement win into heartbreak.

The Broncos (6-5) fell 17-15 in a high-scoring affair to the No. 9 Aggies on Saturday at the Sullivan Aquatics Center, undone by an own goal that broke a 14-14 tie with less than two minutes to play.

Trailing 11-8 at halftime, the Broncos stormed out with four unanswered goals in the third quarter. Riccardo De Simon ’28, who finished with four scores and an assist, buried a penalty shot and later knotted the game at 14 in the fourth quarter.

But just as momentum swung toward Santa Clara, a miscommunication on defense flipped the game. An errant pass caught the Bronco goaltender off-guard and turned into an own goal, putting UC Davis ahead for good. The Aggies tacked on two more goals in the closing moments to seal the game. 

While the final result stings, the Broncos proved they are competitive against the top Western teams. They will have another chance to secure a win against UC Santa Barbara on Oct. 3.