CLAREMONT, Calif. – The University of Redlands Men's Water Polo team (5-16, 4-2 SCIAC) lost consecutive games against Division III opponents for the first time all season as they dropped a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) game at Pomona-Pitzer, 16-12, Wednesday evening.
After conceding a goal in the first two minutes the Bulldogs' defensive unit held the Sagehens scoreless for the next six minutes, while Lennon Franklin (Redlands, CA), Ossie Joplin (Kentfield, CA), and Joseph Madigan (Arlington, VA) all found the back of the net for a 3-1 Bulldog lead. Sebas Maccalla (Altadena, CA) and Tanner Stagner (Laguna Niguel, CA) set up Joplin and Madigan.
Following the great start, Redlands conceded five of the next six goals for the Sagehens as they found themselves trailing by two, 6-4, in the opening minute of the third quarter. The lone tally came from Joplin in the middle of the second.
At the end of 24 minutes each team had managed to add seven more goals to their totals in the third quarter. Joplin and Franklin had a pair and Stagner, Madigan, and Kalani Nelson (Torrance, CA) each added the other three to keep the game at a one-goal deficit, 12-11.
Pomona-Pitzer, however, put the game away in the fourth quarter not allowing Redlands to score until Jake Simpson's (El Cajon, CA) connection with seven seconds on the clock, while scoring four unanswered goals up to that point.
The Bulldogs continue to struggle on powerplays, failing to score on their five opportunities, while the Sagehens went 4-of-7 with two additional successful penalties.
Redlands hosts the California Institute of Technology this Saturday, October 25 at 11:00 a.m. That same afternoon at 2:00 p.m. the Bulldogs welcome Long Island University for their final non-conference game of the season.
