FULLERTON, Calif. – The University of Redlands Men's Water Polo team (3-7) lost 10-9 to Cal State Fullerton and then 9-5 to Biola University Saturday during the Titan Mini-Tournament.
Game 1 (Cal State Fullerton; L, 10-9)
The Bulldogs found themselves down 4-1 late in the first quarter as Tanner Whitson's (St. Louis, MO) goal was the lone tally for the U of R during the stretch. Spencer Clinton (Cypress, CA), though, pulled one back with :36 seconds left.
Ron Gvishi (Kiryat Tivon, Israel) made it a two goal game, 5-3 in the first :40 seconds of the second quarter as Tanner Stagner (Laguna Niguel, CA) picked up the assist on a powerplay opportunity.
The Titans, however, would make it a four-goal game soon after, 7-3. Dean Moody (Camarillo, CA) and Nicolas Fedotov (Miami Beach, FL) would end the half with goals in the final minute and a half as Redlands was within two at the break.
The 2-0 run was extended to 4-0 in the third as Max Wagener (Piedmont, CA) and Andrew Sorensen (Long Beach, CA) connected with Adam Lambert (St. Louis, MO) assisting Wagner as the game was tied at seven thanks to a shutout streak of more than nine minutes for the Maroon and Grey.
Fullerton would respond with what would be the game-winning rally as they scored to end the third and added two more in the first four plus minutes of the fourth as Redlands found themselves down three, 10-7, with 3:36 on the clock.
Redlands continued to fight as Wagener found Fedotov and Gvishi assisted Lambert with 1:27 on the clock to make it a one-score game.
Then to end the game Gvishi had one final look to send it to extra-time, but it was saved as the Bulldogs dropped the opener.
Game 2 (Biola University; L, 9-5)
It was a tough first 21 minutes for Redlands in the second game of the doubleheader as the Eagles held the Bulldogs scoreless, while going up 6-0.
Sorensen got UR on the board late in the third when he converted on a penalty shot. Less than :30 seconds later Moody fed Callum Norman (Johannesburg, South Africa) to make it a four-goal deficit with 10 minutes remaining.
Redlands opened the first 4:11 of the fourth with three goals as they pulled within two, 7-5. Biola, though, held them scoreless the rest of the way.
Sorensen and Fedotov each scored three times between the two games, ranking them tied for second among the three teams. Gvishi and Sorensen each won two sprints, the second most. In goal Roberto Barrera (Guanajuato, Mexico) made 11 saves and had a tournament-high six steals.
Redlands begins Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) play at home next Wednesday, October 2 at 7:00 p.m. as they host No. 5 California Lutheran University at the Thompson Aquatic Center (TAC).
