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IRVINE, Calif. -- Long Beach State goalie set the tone early with a couple key saves and went on to make 11 saves to lead the top-seed Beach to an 8-4 win over No. 4 seed San Jose State in the second semifinal for the 2021 Golden Coast Conference Men's Water Polo Championships Friday night.

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The Beach (21-5) advances to their third straight title game, last winning it in 2018. In that title run the Beach relied on defense, holding their semifinal opponent (Pepperidne) to just four goals to advance. The Beach will take on Pacific on Sunday at 2 pm for the GCC title.

LBSU was led by Alika Naone who had two goals and four assists on the night. Rafael Real Vergara and Eric Cain added two goals each. San Jose State (16-15) relied on their first-team All-GCC goalie Yahav Fire as he also had 11 saves in the defensive battle. Laszlo Szieben had two goals and Gal Haimovich had a goal and two assists for the Spartans. 

The Beach led 1-0 after the first period and held a 3-1 lead at the break. The teams would trade goals in the second half with the Beach building a three-goal lead with just over four minutes to play. San Jose State would get no closer.

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