Stags Polo Suffers First Conference Loss of Season

This past Saturday, the CMS Men's Water Polo team suffered their first conference loss of the year at the hands of the California Lutheran University Kingsmen. The host Kingsmen defeated the Stags by a small margin, 6-8, but it was enough to come away with the victory. John Holland and Brian Chong led the Stags with two goals apiece.

The game was prefaced with a senior day celebration for the CLU seniors. The home crowd fans were eager to see their seniors perform, and they gave their fans quite a show in return. CLU struck first on a goal by Cameron Shannon, followed immediately by Dejan Novakovic who managed to find the back of the net as well. Down 0-2, the Stags fought from behind, scoring off a power play goal by John Holland, but the Kingsmen quickly responded to go up 1-3. On the last full offensive series of the quarter, Brian Chong struck, putting the game within one, seemingly at the end of the quarter. However, CLU's Novakovic put up a hail mary shot as the clock expired that knocked the side post and went into the goal.

Down by two, the Stags valiantly fought back in the second quarter, but only managed to score once to put the game within one going into half.

After the intermission, CLU took back their 2-point lead off an outside shot, but the Stags would pull back within one off a shot from inside by Maarten Lefor to put the game in reach. On the final play of the quarter, Brian Baier would find the back of the net to give both teams the first tie of the game.

At the start of the final quarter, CMS rallied down the pool and took their first lead of the game on a lob shot from outside, putting the game at 6-5. CLU, however, would score three straight unanswered goals to put the game away before the Stags could convert any attempts. The Stags were led by Brian Chong and John Holland, who had two apiece, while Maarten Lefor and Brian Baier had one each.

Scoring

CMS: Chong 2, Holland 2, Lefor, Baier

CLU: Baldwin 3, Novakovic 2, Gross 2, Shannon

Saves: Mann (CMS)- 8, Mock (CLU)- 11