SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The No. 14 Bronco men's water polo team faced top-ranked competition over the weekend at the Kap7 NorCal Classic hosted by No. 6 Pacific. The Broncos went 2-2, dropping two games on Saturday and battling back on Sunday for two wins.
In their first game, the Broncos faced No. 4 Cal. David Guibord started the Broncos off on the right foot with the first goal of the game. A goal by Mark Davis tied the game two all and one from Chase Schaaf kept the Broncos within one going into the second quarter, 4-3 Cal. Cal dominated the rest of the game and kept the Broncos scoreless until the fourth quarter when Schaaf scored his second of the game. Cal finished the game with a 19-4 win.
In their second game, the Broncos played No. 13 Pepperdine. The Waves jumped out to an early lead, but Davis kept it tied and Evan Chang put one in to give the Broncos the 2-1 lead. The Waves scored two of their own before Schaaf tied the game back up, three all. Pepperdine put in two more, but Will Grant scored his first of the game to keep the Broncos within one going into the second.
After the Waves put in another goal in the beginning of the second, Grant followed up with his second goal of the game, 6-5 Pepperdine advantage. Graham McClone scored a goal, but the Waves increased their lead going into half, 8-6.
The Waves opened up the third quarter with a goal but Richard Daly scored to keep the game at 9-7 Pepperdine. The Waves went on a three-goal run to end the third quarter 12-7.
The Broncos stepped up their defense in the fourth quarter and kept the Waves scoreless. Goalie Matt Pritchett registered 12 saves and one steal. Davis scored two goals and Graham McClone scored as well, but it wasn't enough. Pepperdine left with the 12-10 win.
After facing two tough games, the Broncos regrouped on Sunday ready for wins of their own. First up, the Broncos played Redlands. Graham McClone got the ball rolling for the Broncos with a goal and Matt Kochalko threw one in, giving the Broncos the 2-1 lead going into the second. Graham McClone started of the second with his second goal of the game to increase the lead, 3-1. Redlands managed to get two goals in, but Grant scored to keep a one-goal lead for the Broncos going into half, 4-3.
After battling half of the third quarter, Guibord broke the silence and scored for the Broncos, 5-3. Redlands drew a penalty shot, which they converted for a goal but the Broncos drew their own penalty shot, which Davis converted for a goal. The Broncos took it in the fourth with a 6-4 advantage.
Pritchett tallied 10 saves and helped keep Redlands scoreless in the fourth quarter. With goals by Chang and two from Davis, the Broncos got their first win of the tournament, 9-4.
The Broncos kept the tempo going in their final game of the tournament against Pomona Pitzer. Guibord scored the Broncos only two goals in the first quarter, giving the Broncos a 2-1 lead.
Pritchett registered five saves in the second quarter, keeping the Sagehens scoreless in the second. Demarco Orella, Davis and two from Daly, the Broncos started to take over the game with a 6-1 lead going into half.
Graham McClone and Schaaf increased the Broncos lead to 8-1 before the Sagehens could put their second goal in. Michael Franco scored his first goal of the weekend to maintain a 9-2 lead.
Kochalko, Franco and Eric White each had one more goal, giving the Broncos their second win of the weekend over the Sageheans, 12-3.
