CLAREMONT, Calif. – Cal Lutheran men's water polo put together a strong offensive performance on the road Wednesday night, but a late surge from Claremont-Mudd-Scripps proved to be the difference as the Kingsmen fell 14-12 at Axelrood Pool.
The Kingsmen came out firing, opening the contest with three unanswered goals to take an early lead.
Dylan Moscoso got Cal Lutheran on the board before
Max Gerdeman scored back-to-back goals. CMS responded with two goals of its own, but
Levi Cook found the back of the net to give the Kingsmen a 4-2 advantage after the opening period.
The Stags flipped the momentum in the second, holding Cal Lutheran to just one goal while scoring three of their own.
Ceasar Nava converted for the Kingsmen, but CMS found the equalizer and the teams headed into halftime deadlocked at 5-5.
The back-and-forth battle continued after the break. Cook opened the scoring for Cal Lutheran before the teams traded scores throughout the period.
Paul Patterson converted a penalty shot, while
Landon Cleveland and Cook also found the net. With just eight seconds remaining in the quarter, Cleveland scored his second goal of the period to put the Kingsmen back in front, 8-7.
CMS took control in the final period, opening with three consecutive goals to reclaim the lead. Cook and Cleveland each added another goal for Cal Lutheran, while Nava also contributed to the scoring. However, the Stags continued to find the back of the net, outscoring the Kingsmen 7-4 in the fourth to secure the 14-12 victory.
Cook led the Kingsmen with three goals and three assists for a game-high six points. He also recorded three steals and a sprint win. Cleveland matched Cook with three goals, while Gerdeman and Nava each added two.
In goal,
Jaeger Gonzales played all 32 minutes, recording 10 saves to keep the Kingsmen within reach throughout the contest.
