CLAREMONT, Calif. – The University of Redlands Men's Water Polo team (21-9) fell in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Tournament Final 9-4 at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) Sunday morning after allowing the Stags to score six times in the third quarter. Despite the loss, both teams have already clinched their spots in the 2023 USA Water Polo Division III Collegiate National Championships hosted by Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois on December 2 and 3.

The game got off to a great start for the Bulldogs as Spencer Clinton (Cypress, CA) took advantage of a powerplay with 3:16 on the clock in the first as Redlands was the first to get on the board. Clinton then beat the keeper for his second at the 5:48 mark of the second quarter as the defense held the Stags scoreless for the first 10 plus minutes.

Despite the great defensive start, the offense managed only those two goals, while the Stags rallied to get those two goals back as the game was deadlocked at two with 2:05 to play in the half.

With :33 seconds left on the clock SCIAC Offensive Athlete of the Year Andrew Higginson (San Diego, CA) found the back of the net for the first time as he scored Redlands' first goal in more than five minutes as the Bulldogs took a 3-2 lead into the break.  

The third quarter was when this game was decided as CMS would score five times across the first seven minutes CMS going in front by four, 7-3. Max Wagener (Piedmont, CA) picked up one of those goals back only :21 seconds after the fifth Stag goal, but that was the final connection for Redlands as they fell 9-4.

The four goals are the fewest for the U of R since a 9-8 loss at CMS in October and its only the third game against an NCAA Division III team they have failed to reach the 10 goal mark.

For the tournament, Clinton and Dean Moody (Camarillo, CA) tied for second with four goals while Spencer Sellwood (Irvine, CA) was second with three assists. Clinton and Nicolas Fedotov (Miami Beach, FL) each tied for the lead with two field blocks and Roberto Barrera (Guanajuato, Mexico) had 18 saves, one off the leader from CMS.

As mentioned earlier, the Bulldogs still have an opportunity to win their second straight national championship as they will play in Illinois in the national semifinals on December 2. More information on the championships will be added to the men's water polo schedule when available.