U of R Men’s Water Polo Edged 9-7 by Biola University

Image Credit: Maddi Spencer
Image Credit: Maddi Spencer

REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Men's Water Polo team ended their 2022 non-conference schedule Wednesday afternoon against Biola University falling 9-7 inside the Thompson Aquatic Center.

The Bulldogs were short-handed with a number of starters and key-reserves not playing in order to rest for their conference finale on Saturday.  Even with the short bench the Bulldogs were still able to compete with the Eagles.  The loss moves Redlands to 13-13, 5-5 SCIAC. 

It was another low scoring game with neither team able to hit double digits.  Biola held a 2-1 advantage after the first and then pulled away in the second following four unanswered that gave them a 6-1 lead at the break.  The Maroon and Grey mounted a comeback out of intermission outscoring the Eagles 4-1 to cut the deficit to two, but that's as close as they would get as both teams would go on to add two more tallies across the final eight minutes.

Andrew Sorensen (Long Beach, CA) connected for the lone score in the first quarter for BU coming in the final two minutes of the period capitalizing on a man-up opportunity.  This would be the only goal scored in the first half as Redlands wouldn't find the back of the net until the 7:01 mark in the third quarter, which came from Max Wagener (Piedmont, CA).  This would spark three unanswered by the Maroon and grey as Ethan Beaty (Denver, CO) and Spencer Clinton (Cypress, CA) would join in moving the score to 6-4.  Ron Gvishi (Kiryat Tivón, Israel)

 then got into the scoring column with 1:22 left in the frame cutting the deficit to two.  But after that it was all Biola extending their lead to four following two quick strikes in the fourth.  Owen Nishimura (Carlsbad, CA) and Jack Everett (Westlake Village, CA) would dent the twine later in the period. But it wasn't enough to mount a comeback as the Eagles would pull off the road victory.        

The Bulldogs took 29 shots for the game (.241) and was 3-for-7 on Power-Plays (.429).  Brandon Khalil (Bakersfield, CA) played all 32:00 minutes posting six saves (.400) and a steal.      

Redlands ends their 2022 regular season slate this Saturday, November 12 when they travel to take on Whittier College beginning at 11:00am.