SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The No. 14 Santa Clara men's water polo team closed its 2010 season with a 19-15 overall record and a third place finish at the WWPA Championships, defeating No. 11 UC San Diego today, 7-6, at Sullivan Aquatic Center. Sophomore Patrick Weiss led the Bronco offense with two goals in SCU's first-ever victory over the Tritons while junior goalie Michael Wishart made eight saves.
Santa Clara jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first quarter backed by goals from junior James Case, senior Josh Luebke, and junior Brett Zylstra. Both Case and Zylstra's goals came on five-meter penalty shots.
Senior Mitch Klipa added another goal just 29 seconds into the second quarter before Bryce Madsen finally scored for UCSD on a five-meter penalty shot with 6:25 left to play in the first half. Poggetti scored with fifty seconds left to put the score at 5-1 at halftime.
The Tritons rallied for two goals, scored by John Butler and William Brown, in the third quarter to reduce the Broncos' lead to two heading into the final eight minutes of play.
Brian Donohoe got UCSD within one goal of Santa Clara, scoring with 5:48 to play in the game. Weiss answered back for the Broncos on the next possession, scoring his first goal of the game. Ryan Allred revived the Tritons' chase with 4:36 to play to make it 6-5 SCU, but Weiss got his second goal of the game with 2:30 to play to re-establish the Broncos' two-goal lead.
With the clock winding down, Santa Clara was able to hold off UCSD until there was 18 seconds to go, when Graham Saber scored for the Tritons. The Broncos were then able to run out the remainder of the clock to win, 7-6.
WWPA Championships Game #16
Santa Clara, Calif. - Sullivan Aquatic Center
TEAM 1 2 3 4 F
Santa Clara 3 2 0 2 7
UCSD 0 1 2 3 6
Santa Clara Goal Scorers: Weiss 2, Zylstra, Luebke, Klipa, Case, Poggetti
UCSD Goal Scorers: Butler, Madsen, Brown, Allred, Donohoe, Saber
Goalie Saves: Wishart 8 (SCU); Morton 8 (UCSD)
