The University of Redlands men's water polo team went 2-3
at the MIT Invitational in Cambridge on Saturday and Sunday,
defeating the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and
Harvard University (MA) while falling to the No. 13 University of
the Pacific, No. 16 St. Francis College (NY) and No. 17 Brown
University (RI).
Senior driver Erik Grosshans (Oxnard, CA) netted a hat trick
against the Engineers as the Bulldogs prevailed, 8-6, in their
season debut. Junior center Miran Terzic (Mostar, Bosna i
Hercegovina) supplied two scores while senior driver Marc Hicks
(Granada Hills, CA), junior center Blake vanHartesvelt (Mercer
Island, WA) and senior central defender John Floersch (San Jose,
CA) all found the back of the net once. Protecting the Redlands
goal, senior goalkeeper Teddy Trowbridge (Mercer Island, WA)
stopped nine shots.
The second game presented the Maroon and Gray with a tougher
challenge as the team dropped a 7-9 decision at the hands of Brown.
Terzic buried three goals while Grosshans tapped the Bear
goalkeeper for two. Senior driver Brent Dotters (Porterville, CA)
and central defender Ian Starkie (Arroyo Grande, CA) both
contributed one score apiece. Trowbridge took to the net for the
entirety of regulation again, registering three saves.
Pacific, which entered the tournament with a No. 13 ranking in the
Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Varsity Top 20,
overpowered Redlands in the final tilt of the first day of action
as the Bulldogs lost, 8-15. Terzic and vanHartesvelt paced the
offense with two goals apiece while Dotters, Grosshans, senior
center Ryan Floersch (San Jose, CA) and junior driver Bo Sidhu
(Indio, CA) each tallied one. Trowbridge notched five saves before
handing the net-minding duties off to freshman goalkeeper Jesse
Gunther (Perris, CA), who halted three shots.
A flurry of offensive production could not sink St. Francis as the
Bulldogs fell, 12-14. R. Floersch and Grosshans led the way with a
pair of hat tricks while J. Floersch and junior driver Andrew
Fischer (Highland, CA) put away two. In addition, vanHartesvelt and
Terzic received credit for one goal apiece. Trowbridge swatted away
10 shots, which served as his tournament-high.
Finally, the Bulldogs regained composure in a 15-7 triumph over
Harvard. VanHartesvelt led the way on the attack, firing home three
goals. Terzic, Hicks, Dotters, Grosshans and R. Floersch each found
the back of the net twice while Sidhu and J. Floersch both chalked
up one goal to their credit. Trowbridge split time with Gunther in
goal again as they earned nine and two saves, respectively.
Redlands (2-3) hosts the Inland Empire Classic on Saturday and
Sunday at the Thompson Aquatic Center. It competes in its first
game of the two-day event on Saturday against Pacific at 9 a.m.
