MEN: No. 17 California Upsets No. 12 UC Santa Barbara, 10-6

Sophomore attackman Conner Thomas registered a game-high five points on four goals and one assist to lead No. 17 California to a 10-6 victory over No. 12 UC Santa Barbara in an MCLA Division I game Friday night in Berkeley.

Junior attackman Jared Brett added three goals, and senior middie Teo VanRunkle had a goal and an assist to help the Golden Bears (1-0) win their season opener. Sophomore attackman John Hofinga and junior middie Andrew Patton each had a goal to round out the scoring for California, which led by as many as five goals.

Defensively, junior goalie Forrest Cheney saved 13 shots, and California head coach Dan Nourse said he gave the game ball to junior long pole Dylan Westhoff for his solid play.

In defeat, senior middie Ryan Sanders scored twice for UC Santa Barbara (0-1), which lost its season opener.

California got off to a great start, rolling to a 4-1 lead by the end of the first quarter and a 7-2 halftime advantage.

UC Santa Barbara fought back to close within 7-4 by the end of the third quarter, and the Gauchos twice made it a two-goal game in the fourth. But with the score 8-6 and plenty of time still remaining, California’s defense shut it down.

VanRunkle scored his only goal with 9:23 to play to give the Golden Bears a 9-6 lead, and Brett scored on a extra-man advantage with 2:13 remaining to make it 10-6. Brett’s final goal made California 4-of-8 on the night on man-up situations.

“It’s another signature win of where we’re taking the program,” Nourse said. “The keys to the game were our extra-man and our defense. We cleared the ball real well and stifled their offense.”