SportsWater Polo

Water polo offense drowns Sagehens

Junior Stephen Smith (#11) rises above and beyond his opponent Benjamin Speicher (#15) from Pomona-Pitzer at the first of two games played on Saturday. The Leopards beat the Sagehens 13-7. / photo by Liz Lucsko
Junior Stephen Smith (#11) rises above and beyond his opponent Benjamin Speicher (#15) from Pomona-Pitzer at the first of two games played on Saturday. The Leopards beat the Sagehens 13-7. / photo by Liz Lucsko

by Ryan Mac Donald
Staff Writer

In a difficult doubleheader that provided continued conference action, the University of La Verne men’s water polo team piled two more victories onto its record by defeating the visiting teams of Pomona-Pitzer and Chapman University.

On Saturday, the Leopards first played the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens, and after a slow first three quarters, the Leopards ignited in the final quarter to win 13-7. In the second game against the Chapman Panthers, the Leopards nearly had a shutout, allowing the Panthers only one goal in a 9-1 win.

“The second game today [against Chapman] was good,” said head coach Tim Hugar. “But the first [against Pomona-Pitzer] wasn’t that good.”

Opening up their first quarter of play in their second conference appearance, the Leopards posted strong offensive efforts, by Tom Merryman, who scored two goals, and Alan Shumway, who contributed one goal.

On the team’s first possession in the second quarter, the Leopards’ Kenny Clements attempted a shot but was blocked by the Sagehens’ goalie David Ratner. Team captain Fred Sicard quickly recovered the ball and finished the play with a goal, putting the Leopards up 4-1.

In a series of strong plays, the Sagehens scored three goals in a row off of a four-meter shot and a five-on-six opportunity, cutting the Leopards lead down to one and closing out the first half, 5-4.

The Sagehens opened up the second half by spreading out their offense, and with 6:32 left in the third quarter, Pomona-Pitzer’s Ryan Parker tied the game at 5.

Struggling to edge ahead of the Sagehens, the Leopards began a strong offensive effort that provided them with numerous scoring opportunities and several breakaways, leading them into the fourth quarter with a 10-7 lead.

At 5:47 in the fourth quarter, the Leopards began a scoring rally that led them to the final score of 13-7.

In the second game of the day, the Leopards demonstrated complete dominance over the visiting Panthers, allowing them only one goal in the last quarter of the match.

Playing against Chapman, in the University of La Verne's second game on the day, senior Fred Sicard (#10) flails after and captures the loose ball. The Leopards easily beat the Chapman Panthers, 9-1. / photo by Liz Lucsko
Playing against Chapman, in the University of La Verne’s second game on the day, senior Fred Sicard (#10) flails after and captures the loose ball. The Leopards easily beat the Chapman Panthers, 9-1. / photo by Liz Lucsko

“Compared to the way we have played in the past [few games], we had fun,” said Sicard. “We knew what our game plan was and we just had fun with it.”

Contributing to the first quarter offensive surge was Brady Kocher with two goals and Sicard with one. Continuing this controlling style of play into the second quarter, the Leopards scored two more goals before the end of the half, putting them up 5-0.

Late in the fourth quarter, the Panthers only goal came from junior Jeremy Spriggs, when he tapped the ball just behind the reach of the goalie.

“In the past few games, we’ve been looking up at the referees for call,” said Sicard. “But today we just went in there and did our thing.”

On Wednesday, the Leopards (12-6) faced more conference action with the visiting Occidental Tigers and in demolishing fashion, the Leopards played to an easy victory, 17-3.

“We came out to our full potential [today],” said junior Rey Lopez. “In the past couple of games we have been tentative. Today we came out pumped to win.”

Breaking out to a commanding lead, the Leopards scored six goals in the first quarter, with Clements contributing three goals, Kocher scoring two and Merryman scoring one.

“We played pretty well [today],” said Merryman. “They [Occidental] came out somewhat scared of us, and I think that it helped us out.”

On the first possession in the second quarter, Sicard started a three goal scoring rally that left the Leopards with three more goals in the first half.

“We got out to our counter attack and our defense very quickly,” said Hugar. “We executed our plays right away.”

The only offensive efforts from the Tigers came from senior Kevin Gordon, who scored two goals in third quarter, and senior Sam Vierra, who scored one in the first half.

“We came out wanted to play, and we were pumped and ready to go,” said Lopez.

The Tigers proceeded to fail at oppressing the offensive efforts of the Leopards, allowing the Leopards to score nine more goals in the second half.

“Hopefully this will keep us intense going into Saturday when we go up against Whittier,” said Merryman.

“We are coming off two good games, and we are playing very well,” said Hugar. “We are finding a rhythm.”

The Leopards, who are 12-6 in seasonal play and 2-1 in conference play, will face the Whittier Poets on Saturday at 11 a.m.

Ryan MacDonald, Editor in Chief
Ryan Mac Donald
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University of La Verne graduate Liz Lucsko, recently earned a Masters in photography from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University in New York. Lucsko currently teaches Elementary Photography as a part-time faculty member. Her photography exhibit, “Banning – Stagecoach Town USA,” is on display in the Irene Carlson Gallery of Photography, and closes today. Lucsko’s interest in portrait photography has helped her personalize the photographic act for her students. / photo by Nancy Dyleuth
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