REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands men's water polo team (9-10, 5-1 SCIAC) handled the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) 21-5 Saturday at the Thompson Aquatic Center (TAC) extending their winning streak to five games.
Matthew Wheeler (Visalia, CA) set up Michael Villagran (Glendora, CA) for the opening goal :47 seconds into the game before adding one himself :16 seconds later. Following a Joseph Madigan (Arlington, VA) goal at the 6:22 mark, it was 3-0 Bulldogs less than two minutes after the opening sprint.
The Beavers, though, came right back and went on a 3-0 run of their own as they tied the game at three with 3:41 on the clock.
Over the final two minutes of the first quarter and the first four of the second, Redlands scored six unanswered goals to effectively put the game away.
Madigan, Lennon Franklin (Redlands, CA), Brady Bailey (Ramona, CA), and Nick Davidson (Honolulu, HI) scored with Evan Keene (Torrance, CA) tallying two. Wheeler, Oliver Finley (Cape Town, South Africa), Samson Casem (Long Beach, CA), and Camilo Solis (Camarillo, CA) had the assists.
After Caltech scored the final goal of the first half, each side put one past the other's keeper in the opening minute of the third quarter before eight straight to end the third quarter and an 11-0 run over the final 15 minutes of the game helped Redlands seal the home win.
Solis, Blake Minkler (Yucaipa, CA), Zach Dortch (Alameda, CA), Kalani Nelson (Torrance, CA), Noah Tikoo (Oviedo, FL), Christian Newberry (Huntington Beach, CA), Ryan Motta (Spring Valley, CA), and Casem all found the back of the net for the first time during the run.
Keene had a career day with five points on four goals and an assist, Bailey had a trio of assists, while Solis, Wheeler, Franklin, Madigan, Nelson, Casem, Minkler, and Motta joined them with multi-point games.
In goal Redlands had three keeper opportunities. Nathan Gattorna (Carlsbad, CA) made five saves and recorded two steals in the opening half before Matias Sheridan (Honolulu, HI) and Troy Barker (Roseville, CA) made three combined saves over the final 16.
Redlands now prepares to host No. 1 Pomona-Pitzer inside the TAC this Wednesday, October 21 at 7:00 p.m.
