Men’s Water Polo Pushes Win Streak to Four Games

Men’s Water Polo Pushes Win Streak to Four Games

Gary Troyer Tournament Central

LA VERNE, Calif. – Santa Clara men's water polo made it a clean sweep at the Gary Troyer Tournament, which was held at Pomona-Pitzer, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and the University of La Verne.

The Broncos (8-4), who have won seven of eight, including the last four, downed La Verne, 17-12, and Occidental, 18-10, on Saturday in the final action at the two-day tournament that featured 22 teams and 40 games.

On Friday, Santa Clara, defeated Cal Lutheran, 14-5, and Wagner, 13-11.

Santa Clara 17, La Verne 12

Ryan Werner scored four goals and Dominick Kirk and Shane Hughes each had three to lead the Broncos to a 17-12 win over host La Verne.

The Broncos took control with an offensive outburst in the second quarter.

La Verne led 4-3 after Vasil Halchev tallied one of his five goals with 6:42 left in the second quarter, but Santa Clara scored the next eight. Werner had two goals and strikes from Ford Eldredge and Arvin Bahia in the final minute before halftime built a 10-4 lead.

The lead grew to 16-9 early in the final quarter on a goal from Mac Carey.

Hughes also had four assists and Chase Zamborelli had 11 blocks for the Broncos.

Santa Clara 18, Occidental 10

Ryan Werner tallied four goals and Ford Eldredge, Shane Hughes and Mac Carey each scored three times in a convincing 18-10 victory over Occidental at La Verne.

Santa Clara scored five of the first six goals of the game and led from start to finish though the Tigers pulled within two twice in the second quarter.

Sean Tehaney made nine blocks in net for the Broncos who pulled away with five straight goals spanning the second and third periods. Consecutive goals from Werner midway through the third quarter built an 11-4 lead.

Occidental, which got two goals each from Elijah Havens and Christian Guillaume, never got closer than four the rest of the game.

Neither team scored in five attempts on the power play, but Santa Clara was awarded five penalty shots and connected on three.

NOTES
Ryan Werner, Patrick Kirk, Dominick Kirk, Jack Rottman, Shane Hughes and Mac Carey started both games for the Broncos.
• Werner had a team-high 13 goals in the four-game tournament. He matched his career high of four against Wagner on Friday and then equaled it again vs. La Verne and Occidental.
• Carey tallied 11 goals, second on the team, in the event, including a season-high four in Friday's win over Wagner.s.

UP NEXT
The Broncos have their first home games of the season next week. They face Stanford on Wednesday at 4 p.m. and open Western Water Polo Association action on Saturday against Concordia (noon).

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