LA VERNE, Calif. - The hopes of earning the program's first-ever conference title were put on hold for another season. Cal Lutheran suffered an 11-8 loss on Saturday afternoon to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at the SCIAC Men's Water Polo Championships hosted by La Verne.

Box Score: CMS 11, CLU 8 - F

CLU will face Redlands in the tournament's third place game at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 13. CMS will battle Pomona-Pitzer in the title game at 3:15 p.m. The winner of Sunday's finale will also earn the SCIAC title for the 2011 season.

Cal Lutheran trailed 5-4 at halftime but pulled even midway through the third quarter after Jordan Meaney scored one of his team-high four goals. CMS converted three straight power plays and a penalty shot to turn a 6-6 tied into a three-goal lead early in the fourth quarter.

Kyle Norheim, Nathan Ortega, Brandon Gross and Alex Hacker each scored once in the loss. Kingsmen net minder Danny Mock made seven saves against the Stags.

For the first time this season the Cal Lutheran defense allowed a SCIAC opponent in a conference contest to score in double figures. Vincent Schiavoni led Claremont-Mudd-Scripps with four goals.

Cal Lutheran defeated Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in their regular season meeting back on Oct. 29. Carter Baldwin and Dejan Novakovic combined for five goals in that victory, but were shut out in Saturday's defeat.

The Kingsmen can equal their best finish and highest SCIAC single season win total with a Sunday victory over the Bulldogs. Redlands earned a 9-7 win over Cal Lutheran in their previous meeting back on Oct. 15.