THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Homecoming at Cal Lutheran began in exciting fashion at the Samuelson Aquatics Center where the men's water polo team opened Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) play against Chapman in front of a sellout crowd, coming up on the short end of a well-balanced 10-9 game in the pool.
The teams were never separated by more than two goals in the contest and each team had ample opportunities throughout.
Despite the loss, CLU played fantastic defense with goalie Jesse Owen recording 10 saves. Zack Card tallied a career-best eight steals as the Kingsmen combined for 18 total takeaways while Nathan Ortega recorded a field block. Taylor McMaster finished with three and Ortega and Zach Graper nabbed a pair apiece.
Also contributing offensively, Z. Graper posted his second straight hat-trick, following up an eight-goal game with three more today in SCIAC play. Mike Potter netted two in limited action and the remaining scoring plays came from four different Kingsmen. Tyler Graper dished out two assists and Z. Graper and Asante Sefa-Boakye each drew two ejections.
Chapman scored on their first possession and promptly pushed lead to 2-0. Z. Graper cut the deficit in half just before the shot clock expired to put up the first CLU crooked number of the day. After an Owen block, the Violet and Gold got the ball back and nearly equalized, but consecutive shots hit the crossbar. CLU generated countless other chances in the first period but errant passes and shots just off target hurt their cause. Owen kept his Kingsmen in the game and Potter was able to knot the teams on a one-on-one with 38 ticks to play in the first frame. Cal Lutheran's defense forced a shot clock violation and a three-quarter pool shot as the buzzer sounded was caught by Owen to keep the teams tied after eight minutes of action.
The second stanza started with a drawn ejection by Z. Graper and after a CLU timeout to draw up a play Z. Graper again supplied a go-ahead goal for a 3-2 advantage. A Chapman skip shot at 5:39 again tied it 3-3 and the Panthers quickly opened a 5-3 lead. Back-to-back defensive stands from Cal Lutheran kept the Violet and Gold in contention. A second Potter goal got the host team within one at 5-4 going into the intermission.
After the break Chapman won the sprint and the CLU defenders held the Panthers at bay despite being down a man. Cameron Hauer came back to even the score at 5-5 on the ensuing possession and at 6:34 Shea Craig put in in a five-meter shot to briefly give the Kingsmen the upper hand, though another equalizer had the squads squared up at 6-6 after three periods.
A fourth quarter full of opportunities all over the pool started with a lob shot goal from AJ Franklin and a save from Owen was key before Craig and Mike Arteaga teamed up for a pass and tip in for an 8-7 Cal Lutheran advantage. Midway through the frame CU retook the lead at 9-8 but Z. Graper was a gamer one more time, using a pump fake preceding a solid shot to knot the teams for the final time of the day. Unfortunately, a 10th goal from Chapman was the difference maker, though possession changed sides five times in the final minute of action and neither team was able to add any more offense.
Chapman (10-7, 1-0 SCIAC) was led by a Mark Alvarado hat-trick while both Dor Appfel and Jeff O'Brien scored twice for the Panthers. CU goalies Stephen Neil and Brody Zachary played a half apiece and each notched four saves.
Cal Lutheran (4-10, 0-1) will be on the road on Wednesday, Oct. 22 for a showdown with the Stags at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. Teams will sprint at 4:00 p.m.
Box Score: CU 10, CLU 9
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