Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
REDLANDS, Calif. – The Whittier College men's water polo team survived a scare Saturday as they held off the Bulldogs of the University of Redlands 12-11 in overtime despite a hostile Homecoming crowd at the Thompson Aquatic Center.
With the win the Poets move back to .500 on the season at 12-12 and are now 1-0 in SCIAC.
After two periods, the Bulldogs held onto a 6-5 advantage but the Purple & Gold forced a dead even result at eight apiece following the third. In the fourth both teams swapped goals with David Sekula adding the equalizer that forced overtime for the Bulldogs.
In extra time the Poets grabbed a slight 11-10 advantage after the first overtime period and that proved to be the difference as both squads only found the back of the goal once in the second session.
Massimiliano Mirarchi (Rome, Italy) led the Poets with four goals, which included three in the first quarter. Marko Zuric (Split, Croatia) and Wedge Molthen (Buena Park, Calif.) each tallied three goals apiece, while Ryan Brunansky (Poway, Calif.) in between the posts had seven saves.
2013 CWPA Division III Player of the Year Goran Mataic (Split, Croatia) was held to a mere two goals on the morning but his second proved to be the eventual game winner in the second overtime period.
Whittier returns home to the Lillian Slade Aquatic Center this Wednesday, October 22 when they host Occidental College beginning at 4:00pm.
