(CLAREMONT, Cal., Oct. 7) – The McKendree University men's water polo team dropped two contests on Friday, losing to Occidental College and Caltech.
 
In anticipation for the tournament, the Bearcats played the University of Redlands in Redlands, CA on Thursday evening, but lost by a score of 23-7.
 
McKendree's first game of the Gary Troyer tournament came against Occidental College at 10:15 a.m. PT on Friday morning. The game was played at Haldeman Pool on the Pomona-Pitzer campus.

FIRST QUARTER
Occidental scored first almost two minutes in, but McKendree would have a response when freshman utility player Alex Nicholas (Rolling Meadows, IL/Fremd High School) scored his first of the game. Occidental went on to score two more times before the end of the quarter, closing it out ahead 3-1.
 
SECOND QUARTER
Opening the second quarter, Occidental scored twice before McKendree found the back of the net on a five-meter penalty shot from Joseph Mahan (Corinth, TX/John H Guyer High School) to make it 5-2 in favor of Occidental. The Tigers scored again, with just under three minutes left before halftime. Mahan would add another goal for the Bearcats before the half, but the Tigers scored another as well. At halftime McKendree trailed Occidental by a score of 7-3.
 
THIRD QUARTER
Occidental came out of the half strong, scoring one minute into the quarter. McKendree responded with a goal from freshman attacker Jackson Smith (McHenry, IL/McHenry West High School) just 37 seconds later. The tigers would score again just over a minute later, but freshman attacker Michael Krause (St. Louis, MO/Saint Louis University High School) found the back of the net as well. Occidental called a timeout with 4:17 to play in the third quarter, which helped them regroup and score three more before McKendree could respond. Freshman attacker Luc Gregory (Laguna Beach, CA/Laguna Beach High School) offered the response for the Bearcats, to close out scoring in the quarter. At the close of the third quarter Occidental still held a lead over McKendree, with the score at 12-6.
 
FOURTH QUARTER
The Tigers struck first again in the fourth quarter, two and a half minutes in. The Bearcats received two more goals between Mahan and Nicholas to close out scoring in the game. At the end of the game, Occidental came out on top with a final score of 13-8.
 
At 2 p.m. PT the Bearcats took on the Caltech Beavers at Axelrood Pool on the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps campus.
 
FIRST QUARTER
The Bearcats opened the scoring just 41 seconds into the game on a goal from Luc Gregory (Laguna Beach, CA/Laguna Beach High School), but Caltech responded with one of their own to tie the game up at one. Gregory wasn't done scoring though, adding his second of the game giving McKendree the lead back. Alex Nicholas (Rolling Meadows, IL/Fremd High School) would add to the Bearcats lead with one minute left in the quarter, followed by goal by freshman Daniel Peralta (Lakewood, CA/Lakewood High School) to put McKendree ahead 4-1 heading into the second quarter.
 
SECOND QUARTER
McKendree opened the scoring in the second quarter as well, with a goal coming from Krause. Caltech would respond, finding the back of the net just 13 seconds later. Gregory added his third goal of the game, but the Beavers would counter with one of their own. Mahan added one more for McKendree to close out scoring for the half, with the Bearcats up 7-3.
 
THIRD QUARTER
Mahan added his third of the game, to open the third quarter putting the Bearcats up 9-3. Caltech responded finding the back of the net with 6:26 left in the quarter. Mahan netted his fourth goal of the game, before the Beavers would score two more to make the score 10-5, Bearcats. Mahan notched his fifth of the game, while McKendree was up a man. Caltech took a timeout with 1:39 left, then went on to score three more before the close of the third quarter. Closing out the quarter the Bearcats still held a lead, up 11-8.
 
FOURTH QUARTER
Caltech was first to score in the final quarter, but after a timeout McKendree would get a goal from Esson. The Beavers would make a strong effort to close out the game finding the back of the net with four unanswered goals, to take the lead, and win 13-12 against McKendree.
 
McKendree plays again on Saturday, beginning at 9:15 a.m. PT against Whittier College, then again at 4:10 p.m. PT against Cal Baptist.  The games will be live streamed at the following links:
 
LIVE STREAMS
Axelrood Pool – 9:15 a.m. PT McKendree vs. Whittier College
Haldeman Pool – 4:10 p.m. PT McKendree vs. Cal Baptist