Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
Article by: Carsen West
WHITTIER, Calif. – Looking to extend their four game winning streak, the Whittier College men's water polo team matched up against the No. 3 ranked Stags of Claremont-M-S Wednesday night at the Lillian Slade Aquatics Center. In a frighteningly close overtime battle, the Poets fought their way to a 12-11 victory to give their nine graduating players an impressive victory in their senior game.
The nine seniors recognized before the game included Ryan Brunansky (Poway, Calif.), Filip Delic (Split, Croatia), Nicolas Beavers (Long Beach, Calif.), Kurt Holzmuller (Brentwood, Calif.), Kyle Catino (Lake Forest, Calif.), Goran Mataic (Split, Croatia), Roman Novak (Almaty, Kazakhstan), Carlos Panfilo-Vazquez (Los Angeles, Calif.), andMarko Zuric (Split, Croatia).
The start of the first quarter saw both teams holding strong defensively, until a blocked 6-on-5 shot from Beavers was immediately recovered and snuck into the back of the net by junior Justin Pratt (Manhattan Beach, Calif.). After a goal from the Stags, which tied the score at one, Zuric fired away from the outside to answer, though another CMS goal would once again even the scoreboard. Despite ejections on both sides, heavy defensive stops for the Poets as well as the Stags kept the contest tied 2-2 at the end of the first.
Coming out with offensive force at the start of the second quarter, the Poets won the sprint to take first possession and got the ball to freshman Massimiliano Mirarchi (Rome, Italy) for a right-away nearside goal. The Purple & Gold held firm in their defensive play, stealing a number of attempted set passes from the Stags. An ejection in favor of CMS would allow them another goal, though Delic shot cross cage from the outside to put the Poets up by one again. Offensive turnovers on both sides, as well as two back-to-back ejections against Whittier gave Claremont the opportunity to take a one goal lead, however an ejection drawn by sophomore Wedge Molthen (Buena Park, Calif.) set Mataic up for his signature bar down shot that tied things up 5-5 at the half.
Molthen came in to command the center position in the third quarter, dominating the Stag set defense with two strong side turn skip shots to sweep right under the CMS goalie James Kelly. Some unfortunate defensive mistakes and a missed critical shot by the Poets allowed CMS to pull ahead by two, putting the score at 10-8 before the fourth quarter of play.
A big shot block by Zuric turned the ball over to give the Poets the ball and put Zuric up unguarded at center cage for an easy goal to start off the final period. The very next possession Mirarchi drove in to the post with inside water, earning a much-needed five meter call that he would skip into the high left corner to even the game at 10-10. Whittier had an opportunity for the game winner following a big save from Brunansky with :30 seconds to play. A lob put in from the outside from Delic with time running down would find Catino near post but he was inside the two meter when the pass was made forcing the game into overtime.
The Poets stormed into the first three-minute overtime period led by Zuric, who fired away two immediate goals to put the Purple & Gold up by two. CMS would add a last second goal on a 6-on-5 to pull within one but that's all they would get as the strong defensive play on top of Brunansky's unrelenting blocks would hold the score at 12-11 to clinch the victory for Whittier.
This Saturday, November 8, Whittier hits the road to take on the Beavers of Cal Tech at 11:00am before coming back to the Lillian Slade Aquatic Center in a nightcap to host Cal Baptist beginning at 7:00pm
