PASADENA — Junior Samuel Akiyama put up a career-best nine goals, including eight in the second half, carrying the Occidental men's water polo team to a 13-3 win at Caltech on Saturday.
The Tigers had to overcome a sluggish first half, in which they scored on just 3 of 16 shots on goal, but Akiyama's hot hand and a strong pressure defense enabled Oxy to run away from the Beavers in the second half for their first SCIAC win of 2013.
Although the Tigers never trailed, the team's inability to convert early in the game made for an interesting first half as Caltech managed to stay within a goal heading into the break.
Oxy came out with a new focus in the third quarter with four straight goals, all on counter-attacks, that finished with Akiyama finding the back of the net.
Jack Stabenfeldt helped the cause with a season-high five assists, while Nathaniel Whitmore, Kevin Coleman, and Matt Munet each added a goal in the game.
Junior Scott Virshup finished the Oxy scoring with his first goal of the season. Adam Florsheim controlled the defensive end of the pool with 10 saves.
The Tigers conclude regular season play next Saturday at Cal Lutheran at 11 a.m. game, before heading on the SCIAC Championship Tournament at Chapman Nov 22-24.
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