CLAREMONT, Calif. – Cal Lutheran men's water polo split its final two non-conference games of the season Saturday at the Gary Troyer Invitational, rolling past McKendree 18-11 in the morning before falling to Concordia University Irvine 17-13 in the afternoon.
GAME ONE: CAL LUTHERAN 18, MCKENDREE 11
The Kingsmen came out firing against McKendree, taking a 6-4 lead after the opening period and carrying the same two-goal advantage into halftime.
Paul Patterson opened the scoring for Cal Lutheran before McKendree briefly took a 4-3 lead. The Kingsmen responded with three straight goals, including two from Patterson and one from
Levi Cook, to regain control.
Adam Scrivner opened the second-period scoring before Patterson, Cook and
Merrick Giles helped Cal Lutheran outscore McKendree 6-4 in the frame and take a 12-8 lead into halftime.
The Kingsmen took complete control in the third period, shutting out McKendree while adding four more goals.
Ceasar Nava,
Max Gerdeman,
Luke Chang and
Noah Carreon each found the back of the net as Cal Lutheran extended its advantage to 16-8.
McKendree scored three times in the final period, but
Bennett Bayha and
Callan Kluck-Hodgins added insurance goals as the Kingsmen secured the 18-11 victory.
Cal Lutheran finished with a 36-29 advantage in shots and nearly doubled McKendree's point total, 32-18. Patterson led all scorers with five goals and two assists, while Cook added three goals and an assist. Gerdeman contributed a goal and three assists.
Jaeger Gonzales anchored the defense in goal, making 11 saves.
GAME TWO: CONCORDIA 17, CAL LUTHERAN 13
The Kingsmen closed the tournament with a rematch against Concordia University Irvine, which had defeated Cal Lutheran 19-10 earlier this season.
Concordia jumped out to a 4-2 lead after the opening period and extended its advantage to 8-4 by halftime. Patterson and Gerdeman scored for the Kingsmen in the opening period, while Cook and Giles added goals in the second.
The Eagles continued to build their lead in the third period, scoring six times while Cal Lutheran found the net four times.
Dylan Moscoso scored twice in the frame, while Patterson and Gerdeman also added goals as Concordia carried a 14-8 advantage into the fourth.
The Kingsmen refused to go quietly, erupting for five goals in the final period. Patterson scored twice, while Giles, Moscoso and Gerdeman each added a goal, but Concordia answered with three of its own to secure the 17-13 victory.
Patterson led Cal Lutheran with four goals, while Gerdeman and Moscoso each scored three. Cook finished with a goal and three assists, while Giles added two goals and two assists.
The Kingsmen finished with 34 shots to Concordia's 33 and held the Eagles to nine saves while
Dylan Bassler made eight for Cal Lutheran.
UP NEXT
The Gary Troyer Invitational marked the conclusion of Cal Lutheran's non-conference schedule. The Kingsmen now fully turn their attention to SCIAC play, continuing Wednesday, October 7, against Chapman at Samuelson Aquatics Center. Opening sprint is set for 4 p.m.
