Junior attacker Cade Anderton eyes the net as he prepares to score against the University of Southern California during their 2025 season at Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool. The Waves hosted the Trojans at home Sept. 7. Photos courtesy of Pepperdine Athletics
Pepperdine Men’s Water Polo opened its 2026 season at the Triton Invite, hosted by the University of California, San Diego, playing four matches over Aug. 29-30.
The Waves started the season strong, sweeping their opening-day doubleheader with a dominant 23-7 victory over McKendree University before defeating Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 16-9.
Pepperdine went on to face tougher competition on the second day of the tournament, suffering its first two losses of the season. The Waves fell to Long Beach State University 18-20 before closing the weekend with a 17-15 overtime loss to UC San Diego.
Pepperdine entered the season ranked No. 8 in the Collegiate Water Polo Association Preseason Poll and No. 3 in the West Coast Conference (WCC) Preseason Poll.
In their first match of the season, the Waves faced the McKendree Bearcats in the first-ever meeting between the two programs. Junior attacker Erik Ionescu scored Pepperdine’s first goal of the tournament and season to give the Waves an early advantage. The Waves maintained their lead throughout the opening period and entered the second with a 4-2 advantage, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
Ionescu continued the attack by scoring in the opening of the second period for the Waves, with the Bearcats quickly following behind. Junior utility Joshua Gibson responded with a goal for the Bearcats, but the Waves closed them down by answering with two more of their own and continued to build their lead, taking an 11-5 advantage into halftime, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
The Waves continued to open the third and fourth periods, denying the Bearcats any momentum to mount a comeback. The Waves ultimately secured a confident 23-7 victory in their season opener.
Facing Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in their second match of the tournament, the Waves struck first again. Senior utility Jon Carcarey opened the first period of the game less than a minute in, with sophomore attacker Brian Barnuevo following Carcarey with another goal to give the Waves an early 2-1 lead. However, the Stags responded and closed the first period with a 3-2 lead over the Waves, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
Senior utility Jon Carcarey looks to make an offensive play against the University of Southern California on Sept. 7 at Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool. The Waves fell to the Trojans 8-13.
The Waves continued to battle throughout the second period, sending the game into halftime tied 7-7. The Waves then broke the game open in the third period, using a 4-0 scoring run to pull ahead before finishing the period with a 12-8 lead.
The team’s lead held for the remainder of the game, eventually securing their second win of the season with a 16-9 victory, completing the opening-day doubleheader sweep and starting the 2026 season with a 2-0 record.
Unlike their first two matches, the Waves got off to a slow start against Long Beach on the second day of tournament play, unable to find the back of the net until late in the first and ending the period trailing 1-6.
The Waves continued to struggle to overcome the early deficit as the Sharks maintained control throughout the second period, taking a 10-6 lead into halftime. Pepperdine battled back throughout the third and fourth period but was eventually unable to overcome the gap, falling 18-20 for their first loss of the season, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
In their final match of the tournament, the Waves faced host UC San Diego in a tightly contested battle. The Tritons opened the first period, but the Waves quickly responded with a goal by junior attacker Cade Anderton. The two programs traded goals throughout the opening period in a neck-to-neck battle, entering the second period tied 3-3.
The Tritons once again opened the scoring in the second period and added two more uncontested goals to build an advantage over the Waves. The Waves responded with two goals of their own but were unable to close the gap completely, entering halftime down 5-7.
As the third period began, the momentum shifted in the Waves’ favor, as fifth-year utility Milo Joseph was able to secure an opening goal. The Waves continued to battle back, eventually tying the game 11-11 by the end of the third period, but as both teams fought hard in the fourth period, neither team could pull away and take a lead, ending regulation in a 15-15 tie.
With the Waves’ final game of the tournament in overtime, they struggled to complete a comeback. The Tritons outscored the Waves in the extra period to secure a 17-15 victory, handing Pepperdine their second loss of the season and tournament.
Pepperdine ended the weekend with a total of 72 goals, 52 assists, 124 total points and 42 steals across all four matches. Barnuevo led the Waves offensively with 14 goals, followed by Ionescu with 10, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
The Triton Invite marked the beginning of the Waves’ 2026 season, finishing with a 2-2 record as they move into the remainder of their regular season schedule, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
Pepperdine will return home for its next matches against Biola University and the University of California, Santa Barbara on Sept. 3 at Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool.
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Contact Genevieve Cantu via email: genevieve.cantu@pepperdine.edu