Oct. 5, 2006
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Now in their second straight week ranked in the Top-20, No. 18 Santa Clara (5-9) travels to Southern California to the Claremont Convergence Tournament where they will face four Western Water Polo Association opponents, beginning Friday morning, October 6th, at 9:00 a.m.
The Broncos earned the No. 18 ranking this week after defeating California Baptist last Saturday 10-9 in a very close match.
"I'd put that up there with the Redlands win from the SlugFest", said head coach Keith Wilbur when considering Santa Clara's best performances this season. "It was nice to have some clutch goals at the end and play good defense and come out with a W."
There are no ranked teams on the schedule for Santa Clara this weekend, but first up they will face Chapman University, who has a freshman who is second on the national goal-scoring leaderboard, just three places ahead of Broncos leader Jack Wall. Santa Clara will take on Chapman Friday morning at 9:00 a.m. at the Axelrood Pool at Claremont. Following the early morning match, Santa Clara will pack up and travel to Pomona where they will have a 3:30 p.m. match against Occidental College, who is 3-6 this season.
Saturday, the team will remain in Pomona where they will face University of La Verne at 8:00 a.m. followed by Pomona-Pitzer College at 12:30 p.m. The University of La Verne is 5-4 on the season, including a 2-1 record against WWPA opponents. Then at noon, Santa Clara will, for only the second time this season, face an opponent in their own home pool, as they take on Pomona-Pitzer College from the Haldeman Pool in Pomona. Pomona is 3-9 in 2006, including only a 1-2 record in their home pool, and a 1-4 record against the WWPA.
Following this weekend's Claremont Convergence Tournament, the Broncos only have one tournament left, and a handful of both conference and non-conference games before the WWPA Championship, which will coming up in just over one month.