CMS Men's Water Polo Falls 11-8 to Pomona-Pitzer

CLAREMONT, Calif. - The CMS men's water polo team played Pomona-Pitzer tight most of the way in the first of two Sixth Street Rivalry games this season, but the Sagehens used a 4-0 third quarter run to create separation and captured an 11-8 win over the Stags on Saturday night at Axelrood Pool.

With the loss, CMS slips to 3-6 overall on the year and drops its conference opener, while Pomona-Pitzer moves to 4-3 overall and 1-0 in the league. 

Christian Thornton had a hat trick for CMS in the loss, while Cristian Pang added a pair of goals. Noah Smith had eight saves for the Stags in the defeat. 

The Stags never led, although they answered Pomona-Pitzer goals to tie the score 1-1, 2-2 and 3-3. Thornton's first goal made it a 1-1 game at the end of the first quarter, while CJ Box and Sam Harrison had tying goals in the second quarter. 

Pomona-Pitzer scored the final two goals of the half, and after Thornton scored his second to make it 5-4 on the first possession of the second half, the Sagehens scored the next four to make it a 9-4 game with 2:26 left in the third. Clark stopped the run, and Thornton beat the third quarter buzzer for a goal with one second left to make it 10-6 heading into the fourth, but the Sagehens were able to hold on. 

CMS will be back in action on Saturday when it travels to Occidental, before returning home to face Cal Lutheran on Sept. 29 and then hosting the Gary Troyer Tournament on Oct. 1-2.