WHITTIER, Calif. (Sept. 28, 2023) – Sophomore
Brody Haney of the Whittier College men's water polo team lit up Fresno Pacific to the tune of eight goals, though the Poets came up just shy of earning their first win of the 2023 campaign. The Poets battled the Sunbirds in the final game of this weekend's Gary Troyer Tournament, taking on Ottawa University of Arizona earlier in the day.
Both games took place at the Mandel Aquatics Center on the campus of Occidental College.
Game 1: Ottawa (AZ) 17, Whittier 5
The first game of Saturday's slate marked the Poets' sixth in the previous three days. Junior transfer
Cardin Chavez opened scoring for the Poets with a goal towards the beginning of the first quarter, and went on to score two more times to lead the team. Chavez was not the only Poet to produce in an offensive capacity, as senior
Nick Coltrin, the team's sprints specialist, as well as Haney also scored for the Purple & Gold.
Star junior goalkeeper
Kenshiro Matsuzawa made eight saves and finished with an outing in line with his save percentage on the season, acquitting himself well in the face of an explosive Ottawa Spirit attack. However, the best was yet to come for the youthful Poets.
Game 2: Fresno Pacific 13, Whittier 12
Haney, who has been among the Poets' top do-it-all field players this season, broke out in a big way offensively with eight goals. The newcomer's total is not only a season-high for any individual Poet, but also a single-game high for any Poet in more than four years. Best of all, Haney did not discriminate when it came to his lofty total, scoring two goals in every quarter, and four in every half to give the team a level of offensive consistency that had been lacking in previous games. Haney was also every bit as accurate as he was deadly, converting on eight of a game-high 11 total shots. Additionally, his efficient work around the net led the his teammates accounting for a combined nine assists over the 32-minute game, another season-best mark.
Haney's shot kept the Poets in the game for the full duration, but the Purple & Gold really broke out in the third period where they outscored the Sunbirds, 5-3. Goals off the arm of Chavez, as well as sophomore
Alberto Seva helped the shorthanded Poets get within one goal of their opponents from up north heading into the final frame. A second goal from Seva tied the game with just over a minute to play, and had the Poets poised to play their first overtime game of the season. However, some late-game heroics from the other side thwarted those plans, sending the Poets back to Whittier in defeat, albeit not empty-handed, as the team now has some tangible momentum to take back with them when SCIAC play imminently resumes next week.
Not to be outdone, Matsuzawa had another big game in net for the Poets, totaling a healthy total of 11 saves to thwart the Fresno Pacific attack.
Head Coach
Preslav Djippov and the Poets will look to taste victory for the first time this season when they host Augustana College on Sunday, Oct. 1, at noon in the Slade Aquatics Center.
Follow and show support for your Whittier Poets on Twitter (@WCPoets), YouTube and Instagram (@PoetAthletics)!
