LOS ANGELES, Calif. — The Occidental College men's water polo team had a big lead evaporate in the fourth quarter, but was able to fend off Whittier College just long enough to earn a 15-14 victory at Taylor Pool on Wednesday, their first Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference win of the season.
Early on it looked like Oxy would run away with an easy victory. Joe Reynolds (Souderton, PA), who finished with four goals, got the Tigers on the board on their first possession of the game with a bullet from the perimeter off a cross pass from Kevin Coleman (Huntington Beach, CA). Reynolds would finish with four goals in the game for Oxy.
Whittier responded a few minutes later, when Erick Gonzales scored on of his game-high five goals. Then Jack Stabenfeldt (Larkspur, CA), Brendan Whitmore (Lafayette, CA) and Reynolds combined for three consecutive goals in the final two minutes of the quarter, putting Oxy up 4-1 after the first quarter.
Stabenfeldt and Reynolds led Oxy with four goals each and Whitmore added three.
The second quarter was more of the same for Oxy. Whitmore, Stabenfeldt, and Coleman would score in succession during the first three minutes of the period to extend the Tiger lead to 7-1. Whittier ended the Tiger run with a goal, but Sam Akiyama (Aptos, CA) returned the favor on a break away pass from goalie Kyle Ruether (San Benito, CA). Ruether finished the day with three assists, and 14 saves. Stabenfeldt would add another goal to give the Tigers their biggest lead of the game, 9-2. The Poets managed a late goal to send the teams into half-time with Occidental leading 9-3.
Oxy continued to apply the offensive pressure in the third. Reynolds converted on a power player early in the quarter to put the Tigers back up by seven. Occidental only drew two power play opportunities the entire game, but they were able to convert on both. The teams would trade goals through the remainder of the quarter, and Occidental would head into the final frame leading 13-7.
Whittier would change the momentum of the game in the fourth quarter. After each team scored twice to open the quarter, The Poets would go on a 5-0 run in just under two minutes to cut the Oxy lead to 15-13 with three minutes to play. From there Oxy would tighten up the defense, allowing only late goal in the final :30 of play, before running out the clock to preserve the win.
The victory moves Oxy to 1-1 in SCIAC play while Whittier falls to 0-2. The Tigers return to action next Saturday with a double road-trip. Oxy heads to La Jolla for an WWPA rival UC San Diego at 11 a.m., before traveling to the University of Redlands for a SCIAC match at 7 p.m.
Box Score 1st 2nd 3rd 4th TOTAL
Occidental 4 5 4 2 15
Whittier 1 2 4 7 14
GOALS SCORED:
Occidental-Reynolds-4, Stabenfeldt-4, Whitmore-3, Coleman-2, Akiyama-1, McDermott-1
Whittier-Gonzales-5, Katino-4, Schlactus-3, Panfilo-1, Adams-1
SAVES:
Occidental-Reuther-14
Whittier-Evenrud-1, Maloney-1
