THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Cal Lutheran men's water polo (3-6, 0-1 SCIAC) hosted Whittier on Saturday morning in its first SCIAC matchup of the 2025 season. The Poets outlasted the Kingsmen to take the win by a score of 14-12.

Whittier (9-3, 1-0 SCIAC) kicked off the scoring with two quick goals in the game's opening minute. Cal Lutheran responded with three straight goals from Jack Bradbury, Merrick Giles, and Paul Patterson to take the lead. The Poets countered with two more goals and held a 4-3 advantage over the Kingsmen at the end of the first period.

A back-and-forth second quarter ended in a 7-7 tie, with all seven goals being scored by seven different Kingsmen. Alan Castillo, Zachary Isaac, Max Gerdeman, and Ethan Guereca all got on the board.

Bradbury opened the second half with another score, but Whittier dropped in two quick goals to retake the lead, 9-8. Nic Mastropoalo joined the festivities with a score of his own to send the game into the final period knotted at nine goals apiece.

Whittier caught fire in the first four minutes of the fourth quarter with four goals to Cal Lutheran's one, as Bradbury nabbed his third of the game. Giles and Mastropoalo were able to cut the deficit to two late in the game, but it wasn't enough as Whittier rode a strong fourth quarter to a 14-12 victory.

The Kingsmen outshot the Poets 32-27 and recorded almost twice as many steals (15-8). Bradbury led Cal Lutheran with three goals, while Mastropoalo and Giles each netted two. Levi Cook and Brody Swarm each contributed three assists, and Patterson added two of his own.

Jaeger Gonzales played the entire game protecting the cage for Cal Lutheran, managing six saves.

Cal Lutheran will look to get back in the win column when it competes in the annual Gary Troyer Tournament next weekend.