REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands men's water polo team defeated No. 4 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Tournament Semifinal and advanced to the SCIAC Final on Saturday, November 23 at 11:00 a.m. against No. 3 Chapman University.
The Panthers defeated No. 2 Pomona-Pitzer on the road 14-13. They led by as many as three in the first half and trailed by two with 5:19 to play before they scored the final three goals.
In SCIAC play the Panthers scored 15.7 goals per game while allowing 13.1. Their best offensive quarter was the first where they scored 52 times, and their best defensive are both the third and fourth where they allowed 36 goals.
Chapman is led by three All-SCIAC performers: attacker Davin Castillo, attacker Everett Prussak, and center Nate Randolph.
Castillo was their third leading scorer with 28 goals (eighth most in SCIAC play) but was the primary facilitator with 34 assists (most) and finished with 62 points (second most). He also won six sprints for a .462 sprint win percentage (ninth highest) and stole possession the second most times with 26.
Prussak led them in scoring with 45 goals (SCIAC-high), added 20 assists (fourth most), and totaled 65 points (most). He also had a strong defensive season with four field blocks (seventh most) and won nine sprints (fifth most).
Randolph scored 32 times (fourth most) and finished with 43 points (seventh most) as Chapman was the lone school to have three players inside the top-10 in points.
Redlands finished with 179 goals and 100 allowed in their 12 SCIAC games. Their strongest quarters were the second and fourth quarters when they were plus 23 in goal differential. Their 52 goals in the fourth were a quarter-high, while their 20 goals allowed in the first were a quarter-low.
The Bulldogs were led by four All-SCIAC members in Max Wagener, Roberto Barrera, Spencer Clinton, and Dean Moody. Wagener was also named the SCIAC Offensive Athlete of the Year.
Wagener found the back of the net 36 times (third most in SCIAC play) and had 45 points (sixth most).
In SCIAC play Barrera totaled 80 saves (eight most), saved 49.7 percent of shots faced (second highest), and had a GAA of only 8.16 (lowest).
Clinton had 18 goals (third on the team), dished out four assists, drew 34 exclusions (team-high), and stole 12 balls (third most).
Moody assisted on 18 goals (seventh most), totaled 38 points (ninth most), and he won 53.3 percent of his sprints (sixth highest).
The winner of the SCIAC Tournament Final will host the USA Water Polo Division III National Championships. The loser has already qualified by making the final.
