BERKELEY, Calif. - The Washington & Jefferson College men's water polo team surged past Wheaton (Mass.) by a 19-9 score in the opening game of the 2024 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Championships Friday morning before falling to host school University of California at Berkeley (UCLA) Friday afternoon, 18-2. The three-day, nine-team event is being hosted by UCLA at the Spieker Aquatics Complex.
W&J 19, Wheaton (Mass.) 9
The bout opening bout commenced with both teams just a point apart heading into the second quarter, 4-3 in favor of the Lyons.
Both teams were scoreless for the first two minutes of play before Wheaton (Mass.) found the net to break the offensive drought. Aidan Miller (Grove City, Ohio/St. Charles Prep) answered with the first mark for the Presidents before the Lyons went on to score three more goals. Dillon Parker (Nipomo, Calif./Central Coast New Tech) and Miller scored back-to-back in the last minute to bring the Presidents within one.
The two goals by Parker and Miller in the final minute of the first quarter sparked a 12-goal run for the Red & Black to gain a 13-4 advantage, while holding Wheaton scoreless for the second quarter. Senior attacker Aidan Johnson (Nassau, Bahamas / Windsor) put up the first two and final three goals to compile five of the eight-goal spree, sandwiching a goal each from Brody Souder (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) and Kailer Spicer (East Lansing, Mich./East Lansing).
Souder, Parker Elliott (Pennsburg, Pa./Upper Perkiomen), Hector Santaella (Key Biscayne, Fla./Belen Jesuit Prep) and Joseph Aranda (Albuquerque, N.M./Menaul School) picked up the remainder of the scoring in the match. Elliot logged four of the team's final eight goals while Souder picked up two. Santaella and Aranda each registered a score apiece.
W&J 2, UCLA 18
UCLA put together a 16-0 lead after the first two quarters of play as they kept W&J from scoring in the first half.
Both teams showcased defensive prowess as only one play from each team scored in the third and fourth quarter. Johnson was the first to strike in the second half as he found the back of the net with 4:09 seconds to play, followed by a Bruins goal to end the quarter.
Once again, W&J struck first, this time with a score tallied by Miller with 2:48 left on the clock followed up by a Bruins goal to close out the game with a final score of 18-2.
Up Next: W&J will face Augustana at the MPSF Championships on Saturday (Nov. 23). The match will get underway at 10:15 a.m. PST.