Caltech men’s water polo closed out the 2016 season against California Lutheran University on Friday and Chapman University on Saturday at the Caltech-hosted SCIAC Championships. Caltech 6, Cal Lutheran 15 The Beavers began their SCIAC tournament experience by falling to eighth-seeded Cal Lutheran, with the winner earning the right to play top-seeded Pomona-Pitzer Colleges in […]
Caltech men’s water polo closed out the 2016 season against California Lutheran University on Friday and Chapman University on Saturday at the Caltech-hosted SCIAC Championships.
Caltech 6, Cal Lutheran 15
The Beavers began their SCIAC tournament experience by falling to eighth-seeded Cal Lutheran, with the winner earning the right to play top-seeded Pomona-Pitzer Colleges in the first round. Senior Chris Bradley (Half Moon Bay, Calif. / Junipero Serra) led all players with four goals, three of which came in the third quarter.
The Beavers were overwhelmed in the first quarter, and while they never fully recovered from the Kingsmen’s initial barrage, they did have their moments in the second half. Thanks to Bradley’s four goals and a tally from junior Richard May (Guilford, Conn. / Choate Rosemary Hall), Caltech matched CLU’s five-goal output in the second half. Sophomore Eshan Govil (Guilford, Conn. / Choate Rosemary Hall) scored the Beavers’ first goal of the game.
Caltech 5, Chapman 19
The Beavers fared no better in Saturday’s game against Chapman, though they did play a competiive first quarter in which they held their SCIAC foe to just one goal. However, the dam broke in the second quarter when the Beavers were outscored 6-2 and were unable to regain any momentum.
All five of Caltech’s goals were scored between two players. Sophomore Charles Ross (Wexford, Pa. / North Allegheny) scored three and Bradley found the net twice. Bradley was particularly efficient in his final collegiate game, finding the net on two of his three shot attempts in addition to assisting on one of Ross’ goals. Sophomore Shaurya Gilani (Chicago, Ill. / Adlai Stevenson) made four saves and freshman Bradley Justice relieved him to make nine saves.
Caltech men’s water polo has finished the regular season with a 5-22 overall record. After opening the season with a victory over Penn State-Behrend at the Navy Open in Annapolis, Md., Head Coach Jon Bonafede and the Beavers went on to tally four more wins in the month of October, all of which occurred on neutral territory.
