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Len Korol had a pair of second half goals to key the win
Len Korol had a pair of second half goals to key the win
Posted: Nov 11, 2023

CMS Men's Water Polo Falls in Sudden Death at Redlands, Shares Regular Season Title

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REDLANDS, Calif. – Spencer Sellwood scored in sudden death overtime as the Redlands men's water polo team handed Claremont-Mudd-Scripps its first SCIAC defeat in the regular season finale, taking an 11-10 decision at Thompson Aquatics Center.

CMS falls to 20-7 with the loss and to 11-1 in the SCIAC, with Redlands pulling into a tie for the regular season title. Both teams will host SCIAC Semifinals on Friday with a chance to have a rubber match in the SCIAC Finals on Sunday should they both advance.

The Stags trailed 3-2 at the half, but Nick Kennedy and Gavin Rosser started the second half with tallies to put CMS ahead for the first time at 4-3. After Redlands tied it with 3:29 left in the third quarter, Len Korol answered right back on the next Stag possession to give CMS a 5-4 lead. Jeffrey Koretz closed out the third with a goal with 1:08 on the clock to give the Stags a 6-4 lead heading into the fourth. 

Redlands got back within 6-5, but Korol got his second on a 6-on-5 with 4:31 to go to restore the two-goal lead for CMS. Redlands got that goal right back after a timeout when Spencer Sellwood found the net. Auggie Aliaga scored his second for CMS to answer, before Sellwood scored again with 2:19 left to close the gap to 8-7 and Andrew Sorensen knotted it up with 55 seconds left. 

Redlands had a chance to win it in regulation, but Kyle Ballack had a big defensive effort to prevent the Bulldogs from getting a shot off after they pulled the goalie for an extra attacker with eight seconds left.

Luke (Bear) Weigle put CMS ahead 9-8 with nine seconds left in the first overtime, but Redlands knotted it up with 2:20 left after switching ends. Kennedy completed a hat trick when he converted a penalty shot with 2:05 to go, but Andrew Higginson scored on a 6-on-5 to knot it up again and send it to sudden death.

Kennedy finished with three goals and Aliaga had two goals and assist to chip in with three points. Aidan Nettekoven had nine saves and two steals in net for the Stags.  

CMS will face either Chapman or Pomona-Pitzer in the SCIAC Semfinals on Friday, with Redlands hosting the other. The two winners will then meet on Sunday for the SCIAC title.