REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Men's Water Polo team dropped their Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) match-up Wednesday night against California Lutheran University (CLU), 11-9.
The Bulldogs move back to .500 at 12-12, 4-5 SCIAC and have lost both games to the Kingsmen on the season by a combined four goals.
It was a slow offensive start for both teams until Spencer Sellwood (Irvine, CA) broke the tie converting a penalty with 3:42 remaining in the first quarter.
This goal however woke up the Kingsmen because they went on a 4-0 run, which lasted until the 2:23 mark of the second period.
With 1:36 remaining in the half Andrew Higginson (San Diego, CA) got the Bulldogs' second goal of the evening. Then with :51 seconds left Spencer Clinton (Cypress, CA) netted his first off a Drake Moody (Camarillo, CA) assist that pulled the Bulldogs within one, 4-3 at the break.
Following two goals in the opening :85 seconds of the third quarter from the Kingsmen, the Bulldogs were able to get back within one on a Callum Norman (Johannesburg, South Africa) goal that Higginson assisted on at the 5:47 mark.
Redlands' Eamon Greathouse (Bainbridge Island, WA) and Clinton each scored at the end of the quarter cutting the deficit to two, 8-6, heading to the fourth. Austin Galanski (Bakersfield, CA) had assists on both goals.
Similar to the start in the third, CLU scored the opening two goals of the fourth period as the lead grew to four, 10-6.
Redlands was quick to respond keeping it a two score game thanks to a 3-1 run, which took them down to the 1:13 mark. During the run Clinton scored two more times and Norman tallied his second of the game. Sellwood assisted on two goals and Higginson setup the third.
With :73 seconds left in the game and it only being a two-goal differential, the Bulldogs were only able to get one final shot off before the Kingsmen were able to hold on for the road win.
The Bulldogs outshot the Kingsmen 27-23 but went 1-for-8 on powerplay opportunities.
Clinton continued his good run of offensive form with four goals. Norman had a brace, Sellwood and Higginson had a goal and two assists each, and Galanski setup two goals as well. Brandon Khalil (Bakersfield, CA) made six saves and had four steals in 32:00 minutes between the posts.
The Bulldogs are now 1.5 games behind third place Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Cal Lutheran with two conference games remaining. They will now prepare for senior night this Saturday, November 5 at 7:00 p.m. when they host sixth place Chapman University inside the Thompson Aquatic Center.
