WHITTIER, Calif. - Jordan Van Norman scored
five goals and dished out four assists and Alex
Perry notched four goals as the top ranked Whittier
College men's water polo team erased a 4-2 first quarter deficit to
sink Occidental, 14-8, and secure WC's first undefeated Southern
California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference season since 1994.
In Saturday's night cap of Whittier's typical weekend
double-header the Poets saw its seven-game win streak come to an
end as No. 19 (Varsity Top 20) Cal Baptist handed the purple and
gold a 13-8 loss.
Occidental jumped out to a 4-2 advantage in the first quarter on
WC but the Poets outscored the Tigers 5-1 in the second quarter to
take a 7-5 lead into halftime. Rilesh Desai scored
two of his three goals in the second quarter and Van Norman, Perry
and Uriel Villa all added one score.
Casey Regehr finished the game with 20 saves
which includes nine in the first half.
WC's defense tightened in the second half. The Tigers managed
only three goals with its lone score in the fourth quarter coming
on a five meter shot. Regehr made seven saves in the fourth
quarter.
Desai added two assists to his team leading total and Perry
handed out three assists for the game.
Chet Schuster scored in the fourth quarter for
Whittier.
In the second game of the day the Poets found themselves in
familiar territory, down 4-2 at the end of the first quarter. This
time WC couldn't overcome the lead as it was outscored 9-6 in the
final three quarters.
Villa scored two goals and drew two ejections, Desai had a
team-high three assists with one goal and Van Norman, Perry,
Wes Paulson and Cameron Rehm all
scored goals.
Regehr totaled 21 saves which includes one on a five meter shot
in the third frame.
The Poets will conclude its regular season tomorrow, November 8,
as it travels to Orange, Calif., to face Santa Clara and Chapman at
1 pm and 5 pm.