IRVINE, Calif. - Eight different players scored for seventh-ranked UC Irvine, lifting them to a 10-7 win over eighth-ranked UC Santa Barbara in game one of the 2017 Golden Coast Conference Men's Water Polo Championships on Friday night.

BOX SCORE | GCC CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL

Defense brought home the win down the stretch for the Anteaters (14-9), who advance to Saturday's first semifinal against sixth-ranked Long Beach State at 6 pm. Goalie Matej Matijevic made 12 saves and allowed only one goal in the opening quarter and then just one in the final frame to keep UCSB (10-12) at arms length.

While the game was defined by defense in the first and fourth quarters, the middle frames could be defined by runs.

The Gauchos scored early, taking a 1-0 lead on a Jacob Halle score just over a minute into the game.

UC Irvine appeared to take control with six straight goals, all by a different player, to take a 6-1 lead.

Then it was UCSB's turn. They scored five straight, netting a pair to end the second quarter to make it 6-3 at the break, and then three in the first three minutes in the third quarter to tie it, 6-6.

UCI posted three straight from there to make 9-6 with 2:36 to play in the third. It would be the final run as each team allowed only one goal the final 10-plus minutes of the game.

UCSB was led by Boris Jovanovic with three goals. They will play in the fifth place game at 4:30 pm on Saturday.