Big first half lifts Aggies over Chapman at WWPAs

ORANGE, Calif. - The U.C. Davis men's water polo team built a 6-0 halftime lead and held on to defeat tournament host Chapman University 11-5 on the second day of the Western Water Polo Association championships Saturday at the Allred Aquatics Center. With the victory, the Aggies earned a berth in the WWPA fifth place game on Sunday against Air Force.

U.C. Davis scored four times in the second quarter while shutting out Chapman through the first 18-plus minutes of the game.

Aggies' senior driver David Cooper came off the bench to score a career-high four goals for U.C. Davis, which led by as many as nine goals (11-2) before Chapman rallied for the game's final three tallies. Cory Lyle and Carlos Martinez each scored a pair of goals and sophomore goalie Kevin Peat made eight blocks in the cage for the Aggies.

Five different players scored goals for Chapman (12-18). It was Panthers' junior Steve Neville who broke up the shutout with a goal at 5:15 in the third quarter. Senior goalie Colin Gasper made eight saves in three quarters for Chapman who will face Redlands for seventh place on Sunday at 9 a.m.

Box score: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/mwaterpolo/2009-10/stats/WWPA_-_Game_6.pdf