CLAREMONT, Calif. – The McKendree University men's water polo team couldn't overcome an eight goal second period from Westcliff University here early Friday evening as the Bearcats suffered an 18-10 loss to the Warriors in its second game of the Gary Troyer Invitational at the Axelrood Aquatics Center on the campus of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges.
 
With the setback, McKendree falls to 0-2 in the event and 2-9 on the season, while Westcliff improved to 13-9 on the season.
 
The Bearcats will conclude the two-day Gary Troyer Invitational by facing Cal Lutheran and Ottawa (Ariz.) on Saturday, Oct. 1 at the De Mandel Aquatics Center in Los Angeles, Calif., at 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. PT respectively.
 
In Friday's game against Westcliff, the Bearcats were paced offensively by two goals each from graduate student attacker Josh Carlson (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West), fifth-year senior attacker Tony Sunagawa (Chino Hills, Calif./Chino Hills) and junior center/utilty player Breno Trebet (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Golden West College).
 
McKendree jumped in front 2-0 thanks to goals from two consecutive goals from Tebet in the opening 89 seconds of the game.
 
The Bearcats lead grew to 3-1 thanks to a goal by fifth-year senior Nico Rodriguez (Bogota, Colombia/Oviedo) with 5:16 left in the first period, but the Warriors would respond with two straight goals to tie the game at 3-all. Sunagawa's first goal of the game in the final 90 seconds of the first period gave the Bearcats a 4-3 lead after the opening period.
 
Westcliff, though, scored eight of the 11 goals in the second period to take an 11-7 lead at the half. McKendree's three goals in period were scored by Carlson, freshman center/utility player Cale Koester (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) and freshman attacker Justice Lamboy (Santee, Calif./West Hills).
 
The Warriors scored the first two goals of the third period to push its lead to 13-7 just 69 seconds into the period. McKendree would respond with goals by junior center defender Adam Serrano (Riverside, Calif./Poly) and Carlson to push within 14-9 after the three periods.
 
WU would score four of the final five goals in the fourth period to seal its eight-goal win. McKendree's lone goal in the period came from Sunagawa, who scored just 19 seconds into the final period.
 
McKendree held a 35-33 edge in shots and a 15-13 advantage in exclusions in the game. Sunagawa, Serrano, sophomore attacker Jespyn Bishop (Brighton, Colo./Brighton) and freshman attacker James Ramey (St. Louis, Mo./Ladue Horton Watkins) each had two exclusions in the game.
 
Koester, Carlson, Sunagawa, Tebet and Rodriguez combined for 21 of McKendree's 35 shots as Koester took five and the other three Bearcats took four shots each.
 
Junior Jimmy Cronin (Naperville, Ill./Metea Valley) played all 32 minutes in goal for the Bearcats and recorded seven saves and a steal, while allowing 18 goals.
 
Westcliff got eight goals from Giljan Alfano and another four goals and three assists from Mateja Bosic. Roberto Barrera played the entire game in goal for the Warriors and along with allowing 10 goals, he made 12 saves and had one steal.