Panthers withstand Oxy rally, win 10-7
ORANGE, Calif. - The No. 5-ranked Chapman University men's water polo team won for the seventh time in its past nine games, defeating visiting Occidental College 10-7 as part of the Showdown Tournament at the Allred Aquatics Center on Saturday. The Panthers withstood a five-goal outburst by the Tigers - ranked No. 7 in Division III - in the fourth quarter to improve to 5-1 in their new home facility this year.
Freshman driver Michael Eynon scored a goal early in the fourth quarter to give Chapman (12-5) its largest lead of the game at 8-2. But Occidental (6-10) came storming back, out-scoring the Panthers 5-2 over the final 5:17 to cut into the Chapman lead. The Panthers hung on thanks, in part, to junior goalie Colin Gasper who made 10 blocks in the game.
Junior utility player Alex Mulé scored four goals to lead the Panthers offensively. Freshman utility player Pierre Masson also scored a pair of goals and had four steals and three earned ejections for Chapman. Sophomore driver Dominic Tornambe and junior 2-meter Austin McElvaney added three assists, as well.
The Panthers equaled their win total from the 2007 season with 12 victories already this year. The school record for victories in a season is 14, set in 2001.
| Score by Quarters |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Final |
| Occidental (6-10) |
0 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
7 |
| Chapman (12-5) |
1 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
10 |
OXY Goals: Valdes (3), Brahmst (2), McDermott, Oliver
CU Goals: Mulé (4), Masson (2), Aills, Chapman, Ediger, Eynon
OXY Goalie Blocks: N/A
CU Goalie Blocks: Gasper (10)