The University of Redlands men's water polo team competed in the opening day of the Kap7 NorCal Invitational by facing off against the No. 2 University of Southern California and No. 12 Princeton University (NJ) on Saturday in Palo Alto. The Bulldogs fell to the Trojans by a score of 3-27, followed by a 6-14 defeat against the Tigers.

Against USC, the Maroon and Gray notched its first score of the game in the third period, compliments of junior center Eugene Lee (La Puente, CA). The freshman center-defender duo of Mitchell Walker (Kearns, UT) and Aki Andersen (Laguna Beach, CA) added two more scores in the fourth period.

In game two, the Bulldogs jumped out to an early 1-0 advantage after sophomore center Matt Shippen (Santa Maria, CA) fired home a score.

However, the Bulldogs were kept off the scoreboard until recording two goals in the second period. Sophomore driver Kevin Chapa (Carlsbad, CA) and junior center-driver Mark Zikov (La Quinta, CA) each found the back of the net to make it 3-6 halfway through the game.

Redlands matched its second-period scoring in the third stanza, starting with a netter off the hand of Lee. Walker backed him with a score shortly after.

The Bulldogs managed to tally one more goal in the fourth period, as senior center-driver Nelson Glendinning (Philadelphia, PA) uncorked a netter with 2:42 left in the game.

Goalkeeper statistics were not available at time of posting.

The Bulldogs (2-8) continue action at the Kap7 NorCal Invitational on Sunday, September 20, when they face off against the loser of today's Santa Clara/UC San Diego match. Redlands' game is set for 9:25 a.m. in the Belardi Pool at Stanford University. ​