Bobcats pass opening test

The Saddleback men's water polo team passed its opening test of the season with a 22-12 win against Ottawa University on Thursday inside the Saddleback Aquatics Center.  Riley Kraatz led the team with seven goals.

Saddleback won its first conference title in swimming during the spring and so with many of the same athletes competing during the fall in water polo, many wondered if it would carry over into another solid squad.  The first test was against a four-year school in Ottawa University (AZ), and the Bobcats looked solid against the NAIA program from Surprise, Arizona.

The two teams played evenly for first four minutes of the game before Saddleback started to show its depth.  The Bobcats held a 6-4 lead at the end of the first quarter and extended the lead to 13-8 by the half. 

The Spirit had no answer for Riley Kraatz and Alec Isaacman, who scored seven and six goals, respectively throughout the game.  Jacob Idris played in the nets and made six saves on the afternoon.

Saddleback plays in the Golden West Invitational on Friday and Saturday.  The Bobcats open with Cerritos College at 9:50 AM on Friday.