Panthers end season with a loss to Redlands in WWPA finale

ORANGE, Calif. - The University of Redlands men's water polo team pulled away in the second half to defeat host Chapman University 12-9 in the seventh place game of the Western Water Polo Association championships at the Allred Aquatics Center on Sunday morning.

Chapman (12-18) sophomore Pierre Masson scored a pair of goals in the third quarter, the first of which gave the Panthers a 7-6 lead to open the half. However, from that point, Redlands out-scored Chapman 6-2 over the final 12:46 of the game to secure the victory.

Redlands senior Ryan Floersch scored his third goal of the game with 4:46 left in the third quarter to tie the game at 7. His twin brother John Floersch then scored the Bulldogs' go-ahead goal 44 seconds later and Chapman was unable to pull even again.

Redlands' goalie Teddy Trowbridge made six of his 13 saves in the second half to preserve the Redlands lead.

Senior utility Alex Mulé - Chapman's all-time leading scorer and All-WWPA selection - led the Panthers with five goals. Mulé eclipsed the 100-goal mark for the third time in his career with 103 goals this season, which currently leads the nation. He leaves Chapman with 388 goals in his four-year career.

Chapman finishes the season on a nine-game losing streak, a streak that immediately followed the Panthers' run of nine wins in 10 games in October. The Panthers have also lost nine consecutive WWPA playoff games dating back to 1992.