SAN JOSE, Calif. — Ádám Peocz scored with 2:31 left in the first overtime period and the Tigers of No. 6-ranked Princeton University made the score stand-up in an 11-10 overtime defeat of No. 10 the University of California-Davis in both teams’ final game at the 2026 Julian Fraser Memorial Tournament.
Competing at San Jose State University’s Student Union, Inc. Spartan Recreation and Aquatic Center, Princeton overcame a 6-5 halftime deficit to rally back and clip the Spartans in a battle of Top 10-ranked programs.
The first three minutes of the game saw the two games trade strikes as Oriol Viñas stuffed in the opening blow courtesy a feed from Lucas Wulfhorst at 6:18 prior to Oliver Marcin pumping in a response for Princeton off an assist from Gavin Appeldorn.at 5:58. Oleg Shatskikh found Austn Quick to put the Aggies back in front with 5:41 remaining in the first quarter, but William Swart slipped a pass to Appeldorn who finished the feed at 2:36 to square the squads at two-all.
A man-up tally by Cassius Wolf courtesy an assist from Max Prokhin at 1:22 and a power-play marker from Finn LeSieur via a helper credited to Peocz with 25 seconds on the clock allowed the teams to exit the first eight minutes of regulation deadlocked at three-all.
Neither team was able to solve the opposing defense until UC-Davis goalkeeper Baxter Chelsom hit a streaking Wulfhorst at the 5:24 mark of the second quarter to once more put the Aggies ahead at 4-3. Mateo Ruano dented the twine following a centering pass by Timothy Kerr at 4:48 to enlarge Davis’ lead to 5-3 prior to Wulfhorst lining in a five-meter penalty shot at 3:59 to double-up Princeton at 6-3.
The Tigers went from reeling on their heels to on the attack as Peocz hammered home an unassisted counterstrike at the 2:48 mark to trim the Aggies’ lead down to 6-4. Taylor Bell moved the Tigers to within a goal at 6-5 with 10 seconds left in the first half by taking advantage of an assist by Otto Stothart to remain within striking distance heading into halftime.
Enrique Nuno delivered the equalizer for the Tigers 18 seconds into the third quarter by way of a five-meter penalty shot to tie the game at six-all. The tie lasted until Wulfhorst unwound on a five-meter penalty shot at 3:39 to push UC-Davis back in front at 7-6.
The Aggies appeared primed to pull away as Thomas Kiesling torqued in another penalty shot with 2:21 remaining in the third quarter to pad the lead to 8-6.
Needing an answer to keep UC-Davis from building an insurmountable lead, Peocz delivered a retort by converting a pass from Bell for a man-up goal with 41 seconds on the clock to close within 8-7 heading into the fourth quarter.
Wulfhorst found Quick at 6:04 of the fourth quarter to return a two-goal lead (9-7) to UC-Davis, but Nuno connected with Bell for a power-play tally at 5:19 and Bell delivered to Stothart for another six-on-five marker at 4:28 to once more tie the game at nine-all.
Stothart provided the Tigers’ their inaugural lead of the game with 3:33 remaining in regulation by cashing in an assist by Peocz before Viñas found Wulfhorst at 1:12 to make it a 10-all contest.
Both teams had final shots to win the game in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter as Mateo Ruano’s try was stopped by Princeton goalie Kristóf Kovács with 13 seconds left and Nuno’s attempt was blocked down by Chelsom at the buzzer to bring on overtime.
Peocz notched the game-winner off an assist from Appeldorn with 2:31 to play in the first OT frame.
From there, Kovács and the Tigers made the narrow lead hold up to stymie and frustrate the Aggies over the remainder of overtime to escape with an 11-10 victory.
Wulfhortst (four goals), Quick (two goals), Ruano (one goal), Kiesling (one goal), Viñas (one goal) and Wolf (one goal) accounted for UC-Davis’ offense in support of a 14-save effort by Chelsom.
Peocz (three goals, two assists), Bell (two goals, two assists), Stothart (two goals, one assist), Appeldorn (one goal, two assists), Nuno (one goal, one assist), LeSieur (one goal), Marcin (one goal) and Swart (one assist) combined for Princeton’s offense with Kovács handling his business in cage with 15 saves.
