THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Cal Lutheran men's water polo put together a strong offensive push in the third period but couldn't overcome an early deficit, falling 14-10 to Redlands on Saturday morning at the Samuelson Aquatics Center.
The Kingsmen faced a tough test against a Redlands squad that entered the matchup 6-2 in SCIAC play. Cal Lutheran struck first, with
Levi Cook finding the back of the net before
Max Gerdeman added another goal to give the Kingsmen an early 2-1 advantage. Redlands responded with three consecutive goals to close the opening quarter, taking a 4-2 lead.
Redlands opened the second period with another score before the teams traded goals throughout the frame. Cook converted an extra-man opportunity, while
Dylan Moscoso also found the net for the Kingsmen. However, the Bulldogs added three goals of their own to extend their advantage to 7-4 heading into halftime.
Both offenses came alive after the break, combining for 11 goals in an action-packed third period. Gerdeman and
Paul Patterson both scored twcie, while
Merrick Giles contributed another goal as the Kingsmen continued to battle, matching Redlands nearly score for score. Despite the offensive outburst, the Bulldogs maintained a three-goal cushion, leading 13-9 entering the final period.
The defensive effort tightened in the fourth, with each team finding the net just once. Cook scored his third goal of the afternoon to keep the Kingsmen within striking distance, but Redlands held on to secure the 14-10 victory.
Gerdeman and Cook led the Kingsmen offensively with three goals apiece. Cook also dished out a game-high three assists for six points, while Gerdeman added an assist for four points. Patterson contributed two goals and two assists, and Giles finished with a goal and two assists.
In goal,
Jaeger Gonzales recorded 12 saves across all four quarters.
