MALIBU, Calif. -- Trailing 8-6, sixth-ranked UC Santa Barbara scored five unanswered to pull away from fourth-ranked Pacific to earn a 15-10 win in the third place game of the 2019 Golden Coast Conference Men's Water Polo Championships. 

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Nathan Puentes had four goals and an assists to lead UCSB (21-7). GCC Newcomer of the Year Jeremie Cote led Pacific (16-5) with three goals and two assists.

GCC Player of the Year Luke Pavillard and Cote scored back-to-back goals in the second to give the Tigers a 7-5 lead. UCSB six of the next seven goals in the game to take control. 

Sam Nangle, who had three goals, made it 7-6 with 5:27 left in the first half only to see Pacific's Matthew Hosmer make it 8-6 18 seconds later. UCSB then rattled off the five-goal run. Puentes cut the lead to one on a 6-on-5 goal then tied it 8-8 with 2:49 left in the opening half.

Nangle, Puentes and Leo Yuno, who also had three goals and three assists, gave the Gauchos an 11-8 lead with 5:15 to play in the third quarter. The lead would not drop below two the rest of the way.