LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The men's water polo team duds a pair on the road to Fresno Pacific University (Calif.) and California Lutheran University in non-conference action on Sunday, October 5th, at the Gary Troyer Tournament in Claremont, California.
MATCH ONE vs. Fresno Pacific
BOX SCORE
Score: McKendree University 11, Fresno Pacific University 20
Record: Bearcats 0-10, 0-0 WWPA | Sunbirds 2-8, 0-0 WWPA
HOW IT HAPPENED
It was an early morning swim for the team, starting at 8:00 AM Pacific Time. It was a competitive first quarter, where FPU opened up with the first two goals of the game with freshman Christiano Sandino (Fresno, Calif.) putting one in 26 seconds in. Sophomore Isaac Demski (Eastvale, Calif.) put McKendree on the board at the 6:00 mark but was answered by two more scoring possessions by the Sunbirds from junior Forrest Gray (Milpitas, Calif.) and senior Pietro Cattano (Houston, Texas). The Bearcats would respond with a goal from freshman Joshua Gibson (Nassau, Bahamas) which was followed by a score from freshman Jake Canalas (Boerne, Texas), which was his second since scoring within the first two goals. The two teams would continue going back and forth in the final three-plus minutes with junior James Ramey (St. Louis, Mo.) and Demski contributing for McKendree and junior Christian Clark (Lake Elsinore, Calif.) netting one in for FPU to give them a 6-4 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Sunbirds kept their momentum going in the second quarter, as they converted on another pair of goals by Sandino and freshman Jordan Lambert (Wood Village, Oregon). Bearcats' freshman Noah Schott (St. Louis, Mo.) was in to score his fourth goal of the season, trying to keep his team in competitive spirit. However, the trend kept on repeating with the Sunbirds scoring another two goals off of a penalty and exclusion in sequential order. Gibson rounded out the first half with another score for himself, but with his team still trailing 10-6.
It would seem as McKendree would trim the deficit substantially as freshman Kevin Kehoe (Chicago, Ill.) would put in his first career goal 1:18 into the third period of play and was followed by teammate and leading scorer sophomore Yannick Robertson (Trinidad and Tobago) getting one inside for himself, cutting the deficit to two. But the momentum would not last long as FPU scored a trio of goals after, coming from various swimmers. Demski would momentarily stop the bleeding for the Bearcats by notching in a goal which gave him a hat-trick for the morning matchup.
The Sunbirds would turn on the jets and convert on seven straight goals from the 2:41 mark of the third quarter to 3:07 in the fourth period of play, which was initiated by freshman Tristin Fox (Troutdale, Oregon), who scored the first three of such. With 2:33 left in regulation, Robertson would net in a couple more goals himself but would be too late as FPU would come away with the win 20-11.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
MATCH TWO vs. Cal Lutheran
BOX SCORE
Score: McKendree University 9, California Lutheran University 17
Record: Bearcats 0-11, 0-0 WWPA | Kingsmen 7-9, 0-1 SCIAC
HOW IT HAPPENED
Looking to capture their first win in this year's tournament, McKendree would hop back into action later in the afternoon in hopes of finishing on a good note. The first quarter was a slow start that saw Cal Lutheran putting in the game's first three goals from senior Cormac Flanders (Los Angeles, Calif.), senior Tommy Riffle (Fremont, Calif.), and junior Brody Swarm (Fullerton, Calif.) all contributing. With under 1:30 remaining in the first period, Ramey would start off a showcase day for the junior, putting the Bearcats on the board by slinging one in but trailing behind 3-1.
Both teams would go neck-and-neck in the second quarter as the Kingsmen would tack on a couple more scoring possessions to start the period from senior Lincoln Hall (Camarillo, Calif.) and graduate Justin Boals (Newport Beach, Calif.). Answering for McKendree would be Demski, continuing his substantial presence these past few days, but the goal would be responded by opposing Flanders, striking one in for himself. Battling through physicality, Ramey and Robertson would then convert on a couple of goals of off exclusions and trimming the deficit to two. With only 32 seconds remaining in the half, Cal Lutheran graduate Zane Hermann (Oxnard, Calif.) snuck a goal in to end the half with his team in the lead 7-4.
Momentum would start to build on for the Kingsmen, as junior Nic Mastropoalo (Clovis, Calif.) opened up the third period with a goal, but was immediately answered by Bearcats' Gibson and Ramey with a couple of scoring possessions from them. Mastropoalo and senior Tre Eade (Paso Robles, Calif.) would steal those two points back afterward for Cal Lutheran. With 2:05 remaining in the third quarter, Ramey would tack on his fourth goal of the game, trying to pull his team back to within striking distance.
From that point on, until a little over four minutes into the final quarter, the Kingsmen would put in five straight goals, coming from various players on the team. Gibson and Ramey would continue their great match with each scoring a play, until Cal Lutheran's Hall would end off with two from himself, giving the Kingsmen a 17-9 victory.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
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For Cal Lutheran, Hall would earn a hat-trick with three goals. Mastropoalo, Flanders, and Eade ended up with two goals each.
UP NEXT
McKendree will take another week off to re-energize but will be back in action as they will face Augustana College (Ill.) for the second time this season on Saturday, October 19th at the Anne Greve Lund Natatorium in Rock Island, Illinois.
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