Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College Men's Water Polo team followed up their upset win over Pomona-Pitzer with a lopsided 12-5 victory over California Lutheran University.
It was an impressive home opener as the Purple & Gold outshot the Kingsmen 34-16, and totaled 10 assists, while improving to 5-7, 2-0 SCIAC.
Hans Zdolsek (Linkoping, Sweden) got the scoring started with back-to-back connections across the first four minutes giving WC a 2-0 lead. CLU cut the deficit in half on their next possession but that's as close as they would get as Dominick Nevarez (Norwalk, Calif.) would spark four-unanswered that gave the Poets a 5-1 lead at the half. Joining Nevarez during that run was Paul Pittion (Aix en Provenca, France), Eric Borunda (Whittier, Calif.), and Maxwell Murphy (Orinda, Calif.).
At the 5:44 mark in the third CLU got back on the scoreboard with Goldsmith connecting again. But Whittier was able to respond with Cornelis Kriek (Pretoria, South Africa) and Ricardo Reyes Jr. (Commerce, Calif.) converting that kept it a four-goal game. Cal Lutheran struck first to start the 4th quarter off getting within three at 8-5, but again the Poets responded with another 4-0 run from Micah Kamai (Irvine, Calif.), Carlos Heredia Viteri (Commerce, Calif.), Kaan Hamurculu (Istanbul, Turkey), and Mackenzie Aakhus (Bakersfield, Calif.) that secured the home win.
Murat Ersoz (Istanbul, Turkey) played all 32:00 minutes between the posts and finished with five saves and two steals. Heredia Viteri along with his goal added three steals and Kamai posted a goal, an assist and a pair of picks.
Whittier remains at home this Wednesday, October 2 when they host Claremont-M-S beginning at 7:00pm.
