Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
REDLANDS, Calif. – The Whittier College men's water polo team squared off against a tough field at the Inland Empire Classic this past weekend finishing 1-3 with the lone winning coming against Pomona-Pitzer.
In four games the Poets combined for 33 goals, but faced off against three teams within the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Top 10, which included No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 USC, and No. 8 UC Irvine.
Whittier registered four goals against USC (L, 30-4) with two coming from Marko Monic (Zagreb, Croatia), nine against UC Irvine (L, 19-9) with the hat trick coming from Massimiliano Mirarchi (Rome, Italy), and four against UCLA (L, 16-4).
The closest battle was against the Anteaters as Whittier played them tight 3-2 after the first quarter of play but a 7-0 run in the second put the game out of reach for the Purple & Gold.
The lone win for WC came against Pomona-Pitzer in a SCIAC Showdown. Whittier held the upper hand as they rolled to the 16-9 victory. Seven different players found the back of the goal with seven coming from 2014 SCIAC Newcomer of the Year Mirarchi. The game was all tied up after the first quarter of play at 3-3, but the Purple & Gold would add a six spot in the second that put them in front 9-6 at the break giving them a lead they wouldn't relinquish as they would outscore the Sagehens 7-3 in the second half en route to their fourth victory on the season.
Aidan Tol (Tustin, Calif.), Justin Pratt (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), and Julian Droetti (Irvine, Calif.) each finished with two goals apiece.
Whittier returns to action this Saturday, September 19 as they take part in the LMU Mini-Tournament where they will take on host Loyola Marymount (9:00am) before facing off against Pomona-Pitzer for the second time beginning at 12:00pm.
