O'FALLON, Ill. - The men's water polo team could not right the ship in a loss to Augustana College (Ill.) in non-conference action on Saturday, September 14th at the McKendree Metro Rec Plex in O'Fallon, Illinois. 

Score: McKendree University 5, Augustana College 11 

Record: Bearcats 0-4, 0-0 WWPA | Vikings 1-0, 0-0 MPSF 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

After a tough three-and-out road trip to Annapolis Maryland last week, McKendree looked to start building momentum within the friendly confines of the McKendree Metro Rec Plex. Yet, momentum was on the opposing side, as visiting Augustana College took control in the in-state matchup. 

The Vikings connected first on a goal from sophomore Rhys Lomax (Johannesburg, South Africa) 1:35 into the game. Sophomore Yannick Robertson (Trinidad and Tobago) answered right back for a goal of his own 18 seconds later. Augustana would start to feel more comfortable in the opposing waters where they would share the love and tack on three straight scoring possessions. Robertson would help the Bearcats stop on a better note with a clutch goal with three seconds remaining to end the first quarter trailing 4-2. 

The second period of play was less of a scoring spree and was more of an altercation between the two teams. The Vikings wasted no time opening up the quarter with sophomore Alden Brinkmeier (Keller, Texas) notching one inside in only 14 seconds of play. Both sides would get tangled before the halfway point as McKendree junior James Ramey (St. Louis, Mo.) and Augustana senior Will Riebel (Cypress, Texas) each received an exclusion, resulting in a thunderous crowd. The Bearcats would feed off that commotion as senior Jespyn Bishop (Brighton, Colo.) slung one in, but would still be down 5-3 heading into halftime. 

Coming out of the break, the Vikings would seek vengeance by going on another 3-0 run with three different players contributing to that including Lomax and senior Jake Fisher (Tinley Park, Ill), who both scored their second goals. With two minutes remaining, Bishop would stop the streak and put McKendree back on the board and try to lift the spirit back into the team as they would trail 8-4 at the end of period three. 

It would be a similar story but different quarter for Augustana, where another three-score run was initiated by junior Stevan Rasic (Park Ridge, Ill.) who connected on two striaght and was followed by junior Oskar Bannister (Bainbridge Island, Wash) who scored not a minute after. Bearcats' leading scorer from last weekend, freshman Joshua Gibson (Nassau, Bahamas), would convert on a goal with a couple minutes remaining, but McKendree would fall in the in-state rivalry to Augustana 11-5. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• Bishop was on the point of attack for the Bearcats, as he finished going two for two on shot attempts to go along with three steals. He was accompanied by Robertson with two goals of his own. Both lead the team with 12 goals in the season. 

• The Vikings were led by Rasic, Fisher, Lomax, and Brinkmeier who all put in two goals in the win on the road. 

• Fifth-year goalkeeper Jimmy Cronin (Naperville, Ill.) was in the cage for McKendree and tallied seven saves and was in the whole match. 

• For Augustana, junior goalkeeper Declan Hutton (Bedfordview, South Africa) earned his team the win as he racked up 13 saves.

UP NEXT 

The Bearcats are set to compete in the Bucknell Invitational from September 21st-22nd as they face the Sharks of Long Island University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania in the first matchup on Saturday at 12:40 PM EDT. 

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