REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Men's Water Polo team (21-8) defeated Pomona-Pitzer 12-8 at the Thompson Aquatic Center (TAC) Friday evening as they advanced to the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Tournament Final at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) on Sunday morning.

All-SCIAC member Ron Gvishi (Kiryat Tivon, Israel) found fellow All-SCIAC member Nicolas Fedotov (Miami Beach, FL) for the opening goal :23 seconds into the game as Fedotov was able to get a fingertip to the ball off Gvishi's pass.

The Sagehens equalized at the 4:56 mark on a powerplay, but the Bulldogs ended the first quarter with another two goals coming from Fedotov and Spencer Clinton (Cypress, CA). All-SCIAC honoree Dean Moody (Camarillo, CA) assisted Fedotov and Owen Nishimura (Carlsbad, CA) setup Clinton's goal as Redlands led 3-1 after one.

Pomona-Pitzer's defense held Redlands scoreless for the first 4:36 in the second as they found the back of the net twice to even the game at three. However, SCIAC Offensive Athlete of the Year Andrew Higginson (San Diego, CA) got on the board for the first time converting a penalty shot before beating the keeper just over a minute later to make it 5-3 Bulldogs. A late Sagehen goal made it a one-goal game at the half.

In the first five and a half minutes of the second half the Bulldogs scored three of the first four goals as they held their largest lead of the game at three, 8-5. Higginson found Moody for the opener before Spencer Sellwood (Irvine, CA) converted on a powerplay off an Alec Abrahamian (Glendale, CA) assist. The third goal came courtesy of Moody with 2:27 to play.

Each side traded goals to end the third as Moody got himself a hat trick in the quarter alone and it was 9-6 Bulldogs after 24 minutes of play.

Just like the start of the third, Redlands opened the fourth with a 3-1 run as they went up five, 12-7, with only 4:03 remaining in the game. Moody started the scoring with his fifth of the game and after a Sagehen goal, Gvishi took advantage of a man advantage and Clinton scored off a Sellwood feed to put the game to bed.

In goal Defensive Athlete of the Year Roberto Barrera (Guanajuato, Mexico) made 10 saves for a .556 save percentage and added a steal. Moody, Higginson, Fedotov, and Clinton all scored multiple times while Higginson had a career-high four drawn exclusions.

Redlands will play for the SCIAC Postseason Tournament Championships at 11:00 a.m. in Claremont against No. 1 seed CMS. Both teams have already clinched a spot in the USA Division III Collegiate Water Polo National Championships held in Illinois.