CMS Men's Water Polo Can't Overcome Slow Start in 7-5 Loss to Whittier

CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's water polo team didn't score its first goal until the final two minutes of the first half, but battled back to within 6-5 with the ball in the closing minutes before settling for a 7-5 defeat to Whittier on Wednesday night at Axelrood Pool.

The loss drops CMS to 7-9 on the season and 2-3 in the SCIAC, while Whittier remains undefeated in league play at 3-0. 

Rob Driscoll finally broke the ice for CMS with 1:26 left in the first half to make it a 3-1 Whittier lead, before the Poets converted with 11 seconds left to make it a 4-1 lead at the break. The score remained stuck there until 2:18 left in the third quarter, when Ben Weldon scored for the Stags, but Eric Borunda answered with 50 seconds left to make it a 5-2 Poet lead going into the fourth. 

CMS finally built some momentum in the fourth, as Driscoll scored with 5:38 to go and Will Clark added another at the 3:31 mark to make it a 5-4 game. Paul Pittion answered back for Whittier on its ensuing possession, before Christian Thornton once again made it a one-goal game for CMS with 2:01 to play at 6-5. 

Noah Smith had a save to give the Stags the ball with a chance to tie, but Whittier got a stop, and then sealed the win with 42 seconds left when Patrick Seelhorst scored with the shot clock winding down. 

Smith finished with 11 saves for CMS, while Driscoll had two goals, and Clark had a goal and two assists. 

CMS is back in action this weekend when it travels to Redlands on Saturday.