REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Men's Water Polo team wrapped up the Inland Empire Classic Sunday with a pair of wins against Austin College and Air Force improving to 5-3 on the season.
The Bulldogs posted a 3-1 record across the two days beating Fresno Pacific University, Austin College and Air Force.
Game 1 (Austin College; W, 22-6)
In a Division III match-up with the Roos the Bulldogs controlled from start to finish. They outscored Austin College 5-2 in the opening period but then pulled away outscoring them 12-2 across the next two frames to increase their lead to 17-4. The final eight minutes UR was able to add another five that pushed the final score to 22-6.
Redlands outshot the Roos 39-30 with 15 assists, 37 points, 12 steals and won all four sprints.
Following a pair of goals early by Alec Abrahamian (Glendale, CA) and Spencer Clinton (Cypress, CA) Austin College found some rhythm with two of their own to tie things up with 2:20 remaining. This would be the last goal scored until the 2:18 mark in the second quarter as UR would put together a run of seven straight with Andrew Higginson (San Diego, CA) completing a hat-trick along with two from Dean Moody (Camarillo, CA) and another three from Nicolas Fedotov (Miami Beach, FL), Clinton and Curren McCarthy (San Clemente, CA).
In the final minute before the half the Maroon and Grey would add some more thanks to Ron Gvishi (Kiryat Tivon, Israel) and Fedotov. This momentum carried over into the third quarter with Moody connecting twice, the second on a five-meter followed by Gvishi who converted on a 6-on-5. The Roos got one back with 4:03 left in the quarter but saw Callum Norman (Johannesburg, South Africa) and Tanner Whitson (St. Louis, MO) go back-to-back to increase the Bulldog advantage.
Owen DeCourcy (Alameda, CA), Brady Bumgardner (Laguna Beach, CA) and Tanner Stagner (Laguna Niguel, CA) all added their first of the game to start the fourth quarter. Austin College tried to create a push late with two from Anthony Sury, but Stagner and Jack Everett (Westlake Village, CA) would put the finishing touches on the lopsided victory.
Roberto Barrera (Guanajuato, Mexico) started between the posts picking up the win collecting three saves, two steals and two assists in 16:00 minutes. Troy Barker (Roseville, CA) played the second half and posted eight stops.
Moody led the offense with four goals and two drawn exclusions, Higginson added three tallies, Gvishi with two goals and three assists and combining for another four goals was Stagner, Clinton and Fedotov.
Game 2 (No. 20 Air Force Academy; W, 14-12)
The Bulldogs got their revenge on Air Force in the afternoon match-up edging the Falcons 14-12. The previous time these two teams met was in the Rare Air Challenge in Colorado where AFA pulled out the 14-13 victory.
Since 2006 the Bulldogs and Falcons have played 21 times with AFA holding a 15-6 record. The win for the Maroon and Grey ended a six-game losing skid with their last win coming in 2016 at the Gary Troyer where they won 11-8.
After the opening quarter the Falcons held a slight 3-2 advantage. UR picked up that one goal in the second frame outscoring AFA 5-4 to deadlock the game at 7-7 at the break. The difference in the game was the 6-2 surge for the Bulldogs in the third quarter that gave them a four-goal lead heading into the final eight minutes. Air Force tried to comeback scoring three of the final four goals, but it wouldn't be enough to pull off the comeback.
Redlands was outshot 28-24, added six assists, 20 points and eight steals.
Higginson started the scoring off on the Bulldogs opening possession putting away a power-play. After that AFA finished three straight, two from Jack Richards that swung the momentum. Moody was able to capitalize on a 6-on-5 to end the period pulling UR within one and that carried over into the second quarter with Abrahamian and Norman going back-to-back putting Redlands on top for the second time.
After that it was back and forth for the next ten goals scored until UR was able to put together a run of four straight led by Norman who had two during the run, while being joined by Spencer Sellwood (Irvine, CA) and Moody. This put Redlands on top by four and despite AFA scoring four of the next six it wouldn't be enough as they would fall by two. Abrahamian extended the UR lead to three with a strike at the 1:45 mark to end the third period and Clinton was the lone scorer in the fourth, which came at the 3:23 mark.
Sellwood, Moody and Norman each had three goals, Abrahamian and Clinton added two and Higginson had the final tally. Moody also put up three assists, two drawn exclusions and two steals.
Barrera played all 32:00 minutes between the posts collecting 11 saves for his fifth win on the season.
Redlands returns to the pool next Saturday, September 23 when they travel to take on the University of La Verne in their Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) opener beginning at 11:00am. The game will take place at Las Flores Park.
