LA VERNE, Calif -- The Washington & Jefferson College men's water polo team dropped a close 9-6 decision to Westcliff Saturday at the Gary Troyer Tournament in Southern California. The Presidents then concluded the tournament with a 13-4 decision to No. 3 ranked Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. 

Westcliff 9, W&J 6

W&J started the day with an 2-1 lead over Westcliff after the first quarter. Senior Will Kitsch (Mohnton, Pa./ Governor Mifflin) found the back of the cage on a 6-on-5 to tie the score,1-1. The Presidents took the lead after Chris Edwards (Bexley, Ohio/ St. Charles Prep) set up a perfect pass for Aiden Johnson (Nassau, Bahamas/ Windsor) to find the back of the cage, making it a 2-1 game. 

Edwards was able to break the scoring drought for the Presidents as they went 12 minutes without a goal to halve the score to the Warriors, 3-6.

Edwards led W&J with two goals. Johnson, Kitsch, Andrew Edwards (Columbus, Ohio/ St. Charles Prep) and Cam Spicer (Lansing, Mich./ East Lansing) tallied a goal each in the loss. 

Caine Dusza (Souderton, Pa./ Souderton) registered 14 saves in net.

#3 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 13, W&J 4

CMS, who entered ranked No. 3 in Division III Men's Water Polo, scored six goals in the first quarter en route to the 13-4 victory. W&J scored three of their four goals in the first quarter. Lazar Marsenic (Park Ridge, Ill./ Maine South) broke the two quarter no scoring drought by drilling the ball into the cage with seven minutes to play left. 

Kitsch, Chris Edwards, Marsenic, and Johnson all recorded one goal for the Presidents. 

Zishuo Ma (Los Alamitos, Calif./ Los Alamitos) came into the net after the first quarter to replace Dusza. Ma recorded one save for the Presidents.

W&J will have a few weeks off to prepare for the CWPA Division III Eastern Championship that will be held at Connecticut College on Oct.23-24.