No. 6 Bears Down Pomona-Pitzer
CLAREMONT – Returning to the road for the first of four straight away from home Thursday at Pomona-Pitzer, the No. 6 California men's water polo team dominated down the stretch to take a 15-10 win.
The Golden Bears (8-3) took control of the game late in the third quarter, eventually ending it on an 8-2 run. Junior Nik Mirkovic and senior Max Casabella finished with three goals apiece. Senior goalkeeper Kai Seed registered eight saves, all coming in the second half.
After a strong second quarter by the Sagehens (4-6), Albert Ponferrada's goal off an assist from Bende Pardi with 4:53 to go in the third quarter started Cal's run. Mirkovic ended the period with back-to-back goals to put the Bears ahead 10-8 going into the final period.
Redshirt sophomore Ryder Hagan and senior Jake Howerton added goals early in the fourth to put Cal ahead 12-9. With the game still in reach in the closing minutes, Ponferrada assisted Pardi for his second goal of the day and Casabella put the game away with two more goals.
Casabella – who notched his fifth hat trick of the season – has now scored multiple goals in six straight games. Ponferrada ended his night with three assists and four steals to go with his third-quarter goal. Riley Clansen finished with three first-half saves.
Cal will be back at it tomorrow at 1 p.m. PT at No. 8 UC Irvine.
No. 6 California 15, Pomona-Pitzer 10
Cal 3 3 4 5 – 15
PP 1 6 1 2 – 10
Cal Goals: Casabella 3, Mirkovic 3, Pardi 2, Valera, Ponferrada, Howerton, Szatmary, Hagan, Loth, Hoover
PP Goals: Whitfield 3, Flanders 2, Lee 2, Colman 2, Distaso
Cal Saves: Kai Seed 8, Riley Clansen 3
PP Saves: Liam Byrne 8
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For further coverage of Cal men's water polo, follow the Bears on Twitter (@CalWaterPolo) and Instagram (@calmwaterpolo).
