Men’s Water Polo Staves Off Comeback, Downs Bucknell on Final Day of Julian Fraser Memorial Tournament

Posted: Oct 21, 2018

Julian Fraser Memorial Tournament Results

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Santa Clara men's water polo finished off a perfect weekend at the Julian Fraser Memorial Tournament, but needed overtime on Sunday.

Shane Hughes posted five goals and dished out five assists, Mac Carey scored four times, including the game-winner, and Reilley May drew five kickouts and a pair of 5-meter penalties to help the Broncos (9-9) escape with a 15-14 victory over Bucknell on the final day of the 11-team, three-day event.

Rade Joksimovic and Logan Schofield each scored four times for the Bison who roared back from a six-goal second-half deficit to force the extra session.

Schofield had two goals midway through the fourth quarter and Bucknell (16-6) scored in the final minute of regulation.

Cooper Dolan had one of his three goals with 39 seconds left to pull the Bison within 13-12 and Joksimovic tied it with 1 second on the clock.

After the teams traded goals in the first 3-minute overtime, May drew a 5-meter penalty and Carey delivered the eventual winner strike with 1:45 left in the second extra session.

The Broncos, who won all four games in the tournament, were able to turn aside two final chances from Bucknell.

"The game at last year's tournament was an identical situation," Santa Clara head coach Keith Wilbur said. "Bucknell scored with one second left (in regulation) and won in overtime. They scored with one second again but we were able to bounce back today and grind it out. That's something I really like to see from my team. That's awesome."

Sean Tehaney picked up the win in net, registering a career-high tying 14 blocks.

May also had two goals and Carey was credited with three assists.

Hughes had three goals in a five-minute stretch of the first half to help snap a 4-all tie.

Ryan Werner and Jack Rottman scored one minute apart to build the lead to 11-5 before Schofield and Joksimovic keyed the rally in the final 11 minutes of regulation.

Santa Clara's annual tournament was renamed last year in memory of former player Julian Fraser who passed away in February of 2017. The event featured 20 games over the last three days, with four taking place at West Valley College on Saturday. San Jose served as the host for those games.

The Broncos, who have won five of their last six games, opened tournament play on Friday with a 15-13 victory over Harvard.

On Saturday, Santa Clara downed Wagner, 13-10, and then knocked off Saint Francis Brooklyn, 9-7.

"It's awesome playing at home in the Sullivan Aquatic Center with a great crowd," Wilbur said. "That definitely gives us an extra boost."

Santa Clara's annual tournament was renamed last year (formerly The Rodeo Tournament) in memory of former player Julian Fraser who passed away in February of 2017. The event featured 20 games over the last three days.

"This tournament means so much to our team, especially our fourth and fifth-year seniors who were teammates with Julian," Wilbur said. "These last few days were important for all of us and it gave us so much extra effort."

"Playing well made it extra special, especially this last game. We are always thinking about Julian when we're playing."

NOTES
• Sam Toriggino, Patrick Kirk, Reilley May, Dane Estrella, Shane Hughes and Mac Carey have started all 18 games. Sean Tehaney made his ninth-straight start in net.

NEXT UP
Santa Clara has five regular season games remaining, including four in the Western Water Polo Association. The Broncos play at Concordia on Thursday and at California Baptist on Saturday. Both are WWPA tilts.