CLAREMONT, Calif. – In a battle between two of the top teams that have spent most of the season ranked No. 1 or No. 2, the top-ranked University of Redlands Men's Water Polo team (10-11, 6-1 SCIAC) would drop their first Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) game of the season, 9-8, in overtime at No. 4 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) Saturday morning.
In the true definition of a heavyweight fight, the Bulldogs held the Stags to only two goals in the first 26 minutes, but their offense was scoreless until the :24-second mark of the second as Tanner Whitson (St. Louis, MO) found reining SCIAC Defensive Athlete of the Week Nicolas Fedotov (Miami Beach, FL)) for a goal as the U of R went into the break down 2-1.
Fedotov then tied it in the first minute of the third quarter as Redlands took advantage of a powerplay.
CMS came back a few minutes later to regain the lead, 3-2, before Max Wagener (Piedmont, CA) scored an unassisted goal with under four to play in the third.
Wagener gave the Bulldogs their first lead, 4-3, as the Maroon and Grey again scored on a powerplay with 1:42 on the clock.
The Stags, however, looked to be pulling away at the end of the third and beginning of the fourth thanks to three straight that put them up two, 6-4.
In a hectic final four minutes Dean Moody (Camarillo, CA) assisted Wagener and then Adam Lambert (St. Louis, MO) found Wagener again to tie the game at six with 2:58 to play.
CMS thought they might win it in regulation with a goal at the 2:38 mark, but Ron Gvishi (Kiryat Tivon, Israel) and Fedotov came up big to force overtime tied at seven thanks to an even strength goal with 1:12 left.
In the first three-minute overtime period Fedotov fed Moody to put UR in front, but in the final 2:24 of the second period the Stags would score twice to seal the win.
Gvishi had only the one assist but added a drawn exclusion and six steals, Fedotov had three goals, an assist, and a steal. Lambert drew three exclusions, Wagener tied for a game-high with four goals, Brody Nielsen (Capitola, CA) collected two steals, and Spencer Clinton was a rock inside with five drawn exclusions and a steal. Roberto Barrera (Guanajuanto, Mexico) made six saves and took possession twice.
Redlands stays atop the SCIAC standings and begins prep for three-straight at home, starting this Wednesday, October 30 at 7:00 p.m. against No. 8 University of La Verne.
