ORANGE, Calif. – Cal Lutheran men's water polo had to hold its ground in a back-and-forth finish Saturday morning, but
Paul Patterson came through when it mattered most, breaking a 10-10 tie with 46 seconds remaining to lift the Kingsmen to an 11-10 victory over Chapman at the Allred Aquatics Center. The win completed the season sweep of the Panthers and officially secured Cal Lutheran's spot in the SCIAC Tournament, marking the 15th tournament appearance in program history.
The Kingsmen set the tone early, shutting out Chapman in the opening period while finding the back of the net twice. Patterson opened the scoring with just over two minutes remaining, and
Dylan Moscoso followed shortly after to give Cal Lutheran a 2-0 advantage heading into the second.
Cal Lutheran continued to build its lead in the second quarter, doubling its first-period production with four more goals. Patterson struck again before
Levi Cook converted a penalty shot, followed by a goal from
Luke Chang.
Merrick Giles capped the half with a goal in the final 25 seconds, sending the Kingsmen into the break with a 6-2 lead.
Chapman found its offensive rhythm coming out of halftime, putting together a five-goal third period to climb back into the contest. Cook scored twice for the Kingsmen, while Giles added another goal, but the Panthers continued to chip away at the deficit. Cal Lutheran entered the final period holding a narrow 9-7 advantage.
The Panthers kept the pressure on in the fourth, eventually tying the game at 10-10 with just under four minutes remaining. With the game hanging in the balance, Patterson delivered once again, finding the back of the net with 46 seconds left to put the Kingsmen ahead for good. Cal Lutheran's defense held firm through the final moments, protecting the one-goal lead to secure the 11-10 victory.
Patterson and Cook led the Kingsmen with three goals apiece, while Patterson added an assist for a four-point performance. Giles contributed two goals, and Moscoso and Scrivner each added a goal.
Jaeger Gonzales played all 32 minutes in goal, recording five saves.
With the win, Cal Lutheran improves to 12-12 overall and 7-3 in SCIAC play, officially clinching a spot in the SCIAC Tournament. The Kingsmen return to the postseason for the 15th time in program history after missing the tournament last season. The victory also completes the season sweep of Chapman, following a 17-11 win in the conference home opener.
Cal Lutheran heads to Caltech on Wednesday, November 11, for a 7 p.m. matchup against the Beavers. The Kingsmen defeated Caltech 20-3 earlier this season and will look to carry their momentum into the final stretch of conference play before hosting Pomona-Pitzer for Senior Day on Saturday, November 14.
