The University of Redlands men's water polo team continued its tough non-conference slate with four games at the Gary Troyer Tournament, which was formerly known as the Claremont Convergence.  The Bulldogs opened the event with an 11-8 victory over Fordham University (NY) but then dropped games to Loyola Marymount University, Mercyhurst College (PA), and Johns Hopkins University (MD).

Against Fordham, the Bulldogs gained an early 2-0 lead after sophomore driver Michael Robinson (Corona, CA) found the back of the net on consecutive goals. 

Although the Rams pulled to within in one at the end of the first half, Redlands never trailed in the victory.  Junior driver Clint Freeman (Brentwood, CA) and senior driver Patrick Roth (Cottonwood Heights, UT) scored to start the third stanza, which resulted in a three-goal lead that eventually held up through the final whistle.

Freeman led the Bulldog offense with a hat trick, while Robinson and junior driver Quinn Curl (San Mateo, CA) notched two apiece.

Junior goalkeeper Tyler Abbott (Alta Loma, CA) patrolled the Redlands cage by making 12 saves in the triumph.

The Maroon and Gray then faced the ninth-ranked team in the nation but suffered a 6-16 defeat to Loyola Marymount.  The teams traded punches to open the game, leading to a knotted score at two each, with junior center-defender Christian Ogawa (Mira Mesa, CA) and Curl finding the back of net for the Bulldogs.

However, the Lions pulled away with stellar play in the third and fourth frames.

Curl and Freeman once against led the Bulldog attack with two goals apiece.

Abbott and freshman goalkeeper Austin Womack (Vista, CA) shared time between the pipes, recording four and six saves, respectively.

Redlands finished the tournament with a pair of losses to ranked Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) foes.  The Maroon and Gray dropped an 8-11 decision to NCAA Division II Mercyhurst, which is currently 10th in the CWPA, before falling to NCAA Division III rival Johns Hopkins, which is No. 5.  Game-specific details were not available at the time of posting.

The Redlands men's water polo team (2-15) starts anew with the first of the 2012 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) games on Wednesday, when it hosts Occidental College in a 4 p.m. tilt at the Thompson Aquatic Center.