REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Men's Water Polo team (16-12) took home their 10th Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Championship and first tournament title since 2009 Saturday morning as they defeated Chapman University 14-13 in Sudden Death Overtime after giving up a four-goal lead in the fourth quarter and needing to come from behind in extra time.
The Panthers scored two of the first three goals of the game, with Andrew Sorensen (Long Beach, CA) finding Max Wagener (Piedmont, CA) for the Bulldogs' tally, before Dean Moody (Camarillo, CA) and Callum Norman (Johannesburg, South Africa) put Redlands in front 3-2 early in the second.
Following an equalizing connection, Ron Gvishi (Kiryat Tivon, Israel) found Tanner Whitson (St. Louis, MO) followed by Wagener scoring on a powerplay as Redlands took a 5-4 lead into the half.
In the third the Bulldogs took complete control of the game, scoring four times, while Roberto Barrera (Guanajuato, Mexico) allowing only one shot to beat him as the Maroon and Grey held a 9-5 lead after 24 minutes. In that third period Wagener scored on a penalty, Gvishi got on the board, Sorensen found Wagener on a powerplay, and Norman ended the quarter grabbing a steal, drawing a five-meter penalty inside set and then converting the five-meter penalty.
As dominant of a third as Redlands had, Chapman was even better in the fourth, scoring five times and conceding only one goal.
With the Bulldogs leading 10-9 with less than :20 seconds to go, Norman had his shot saved, which the Panthers gathered before taking a timeout with :17 seconds remaining.
Following the timeout, the Panthers took out their keeper to play seven-on-six and with only two seconds remaining they would score to force overtime.
Chapman got on the board in the first :23 seconds of the first three-minute overtime period. Nicolas Fedotov (Miami Beach, FL) matched the goal at the 1:37 mark and Gvishi scored with only two seconds left to tie the game at 12-12 heading into the final overtime session.
For the second time Chapman would score first, this time with 1:57 to play.
On the proceeding possession Wagner had his shot blocked, but defensively he came away with the steal that prevented the Panthers from scoring and going up two with less than a minute to play.
The next offensive possession Spencer Clinton (Cypress, CA) drew an exclusion forcing Ryan Hall to call their lone timeout of overtime as they had :45 seconds to try and tie the game up.
Twnety seconds later Norman found Wagener on the right side of the goal where he skipped it into the back of the net that tied things up at 13-13.
The final timeout for Chapman was taken and in the final seconds Barrera made a save at the left post to send the two sides to the golden goal period where the first to score would end the game.
Fedotov won the opening sprint giving the U of R the first possession and :25 seconds into the shot clock he drew an exclusion, though, Redlands would not take advantage as it was Chapman's turn to try and win it.
Following a Panther offensive foul that gave the Bulldogs back possession, Gvishi would come down and find Clinton inside set for the game-winning goal with 1:22 on the clock.
Wagener had a game-high five goals and added six steals and a drawn exclusion. Barrera made nine saves and had two steals.
Clinton had a quiet game offensively inside, but he still had the game winner and drew seven exclusions to win the SCIAC Tournament Most Valuable Player Award.
Both teams qualified for the USA Water Polo Division III National Championships by making it to the SCIAC Tournament Final, but with the win the Bulldogs will now host the two-day event coming up in two weeks on Saturday-Sunday, December 7-8. Full information regarding the championships will be added to the schedule page when available.
