LOS ANGELES – The University of Redlands Men's Water Polo team (14-6, 5-1 SCIAC) beat Occidental College 20-8 Wednesday night as they scored at least four goals in every quarter and led throughout.
Despite the high scoring for the Bulldogs, their first of the goal did not come until the 4:20 mark of the first when
Callum Norman scored on a penalty for the 1-0 lead.
Max Wagener (Piedmont, CA) then scored off an
Andrew Sorensen (Long Beach, CA) assist 40 seconds later.
After the Tigers pulled one back, the Bulldogs ended the first eight minutes on a 3-1 run as
Nicolas Fedotov (Miami Beach, FL) found
Spencer Sellwood (Irvine, CA) for a goal, Wagener then connected for the second time, and
Andrew Higginson (San Diego, CA) made it 5-2 Redlands after one.
Roberto Barrera (Guanajuato, Mexico) got things started in the second as he found Higginson only :11 seconds after the opening sprint. Fedotov then scored :47 seconds later as
Ron Gvishi (Kiryat Tivon, Israel) picked up the assist.
The final four goals of the half came courtesy of Gvishi, Wagener off another Fedotov assist,
Spencer Clinton (Cypress, CA) from Wagener, and
Dean Moody (Camarillo, CA) from Wagener. The last two goals were on powerplay opportunities as UR led 11-3 at the half.
In the first three minutes of the third the two sides traded goals before Occidental scored back-to-back to make it 13-6. The two Bulldog goals came from Moody and
Owen DeCourcy (Alameda, CA) who scored for the first time.
A 6-0 Redlands run to end the third and to begin the fourth ended whatever chance Occidental had as their lead ballooned to 13, 19-6. Gvishi assisted Wagener with 1:08 to play in the third,
Alec Abrahamian (Glendale, CA) was found by Sellwood with just :17 seconds to play, and then in the fourth Gvishi, Wagener, Fedotov, and
Curren McCarthy (San Clemente, CA) all scored as
Austin Galanski (Bakersfield, CA) recorded his first point contribution on McCarthy's goal.
Tanner Whitson (St. Louis, MO) completed the scoring for the Bulldogs on a powerplay with 1:05 to play in the game as Redlands won by 12, 20-8.
Despite scoring 20 times, Redlands only needed 34 shots as they converted on 58.8 percent of their attempts while they held Occidental to 24.2 percent (8-33) shooting.
Wagener had career-highs of five goals, three assists, and eight points. Fedotov also had a great night with a season-high four assists and six points. In goal Barerra made 14 saves and had an assist with two steals.
The Bulldogs come home to the Thompson Aquatic Center this Saturday, October 21 as they host Chapman University beginning at 11:00 a.m.
