BOX SCORE • GCC CHAMPIONSHIPS

STOCKTON, Calif. — The theme of one-goal water polo continued in the first semifinal of the 2016 Golden Coast Conference Men's Championships, as fifth-ranked Pacific and seventh-ranked Long Beach State traded one run of goals after the other. 

But It was Pacific's Aleksandar Petrovic personal run of two goals that provided the final punch of the game, including his goal with 1:13 to play, lifting the Tigers to a 12-11 win at Chris Kjeldsen Pool on Saturday night. 

The Tigers (19-6) advance to the championship game on Sunday against the winner of Pepperdine and UC Santa Barbara at 5 pm. Long Beach State (15-9) will play in the third place game at 3:30 pm.

Long Beach State used the 6-on-5 attack to their advantage, scoring three straight goals, two on the extra-man attack to take an 11-10 lead. They tied the game at 10-10 on Jacob Fujioka (JR/Cardiff by the Sea, CA)'s goal on an assist from Austin Stevenson (SO/Fair Oaks, CA) with 4:14 to play. They then took the lead with 2:57 to play when Stevenson scored this time, taking an assist from Nolan McConnell (SR/Laguna Beach, CA).

But Pacific answered right back. Just 16 seconds later, Petrovic tied the game at 11-11 on an assist from Ikko Saito (SR/Cerritos, CA). 

Petrovic was everywhere on the night, finishing with four goals and three assists. Luis Araya (FR/Stockton, CA) had three goals and an assist while Saito had two goals and two assists.

For the 49ers, Fujioka had five points, scoring three goals with two assists. McConnel also had five points, scoring twice with three assists.

Pacific jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead after the first quarter. Long Beach State then matched that, scoring the first four of the second quarter to tie the game. The teams combined for eight goals in the second quarter as Pacific led 7-5.

The Tigers would keep the lead throughout the third and would lead 10-8 after Araya's goal with six minutes to play. The 49ers would then go on their three-goal run to set-up the finish.