Stanford scored twice in the final four minutes of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation men’s water polo championship game Sunday to end Long Beach State’s impressive run, 9-8. WATCH HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

Stanford (25-3) will take the MPSF’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament while Long Beach State (22-7) will wait to see who the selection committee gives the at-large spot to today. Most pundits believe that spot will go to UCLA, the MPSF’s top seed that the 49ers upset in the semifinals on Saturday at Ken Lindgren Aquatics Center.

Long Beach State senior Milos Vrzic found Ricardo Guimaraes in the middle of the fourth quarter for a exclusion goal and an 8-7 lead. However, Stanford got two exclusion goals of its own from captain BJ Churnside to seal the win. The 49ers had two would-be go-ahead goals bounce off of the crossbar down the stretch before Churnside scored the game-winner with 15 seconds left in regulation.

“We had our chances,” said Long Beach State head coach Gavin Arroyo. “The game turned into a battle of who was more composed. (The upset of UCLA) took a lot out of us and I think that showed. These guys have been through a lot and at the end they pulled together. I’m proud of the way they competed.”

Long Beach State took a 2-0 lead in the first quarter thanks to an exclusion goal from junior Zacchary Kappos and a 5-meter penalty shot score from junior Nolan McConnell that was earned by senior Dan Matulis.

Stanford answered with a liberal substitution style and the fresh legs helped the Cardinal score three times in the second quarter.

Churnside and Alex Bowen led Stanford with three goals apiece while Kappos led Long Beach State with a hat trick of his own. Two of those goals came in the third quarter when the 49ers scored four times to tie it up, 6-6.

Stanford goaltender Drew Holland finished with 16 saves while Long Beach State netminder Pavo Ljepopio made six stops while seeing 27 shots.