MWP solid at GWC

The Saddleback men's water polo team won three out of four games at the Golden West College Invitational on Friday and Saturday in Huntington Beach.    The Bobcats defeated some solid squads along the way.

Saddleback has a lot of different players from a season ago when they had a historic ride to a third place finish at the CCCAA State Championships.  Most wondered how the team would fare with a mostly new lineup.  The Bobcats looked just fine over the weekend, winning three times and playing gamely against the program that won the state title last fall.

Saddleback opened with a 15-13 win against Cerritos, a team they defeated in the regional quarterfinals a season ago.  The Bobcats received seven goals from Donald Robertson in the game and never trailed after the opening quarter.  Saddleback and Cerritos were tied at 10-10 late in the third quarter when the Bobcats scored three goals to take a 13-10 lead into the final quarter.  Robertson scored the last of the three with one second remaining on the clock.

Saddleback faced Rio Hondo in the second game on Friday and made as mess of the Roadrunners, 19-4.  The scoring was a bit more spread around as Robertson led the team with four goals, followed closely by Alec Isaacman (3) and Bradley Pearce (3).  Saddleback took a 5-0 lead out of the gate in the opening quarter with both Isaacman and Robertson scoring twice in cruising to a win. 

Saturday morning the Bobcats faced Golden West, a program that has won the past four state titles.  Saddleback played gamely but fell to the Rustlers, 13-8.  The Bobcats and Rustlers were tied in the final minute of the first half (6-6) before Golden West went on a run and Saddleback could find the back of the net.  Isaacman, Carson Williams and Chase Campbell all scored two goals apiece in the loss.

The final game on Saturday saw Saddleback taking on a Los Angeles Valley College program that always seems to be hanging around the top of the Western State Conference standings.  The Bobcats shut down the Monarchs offense in winning 8-3.  LA Valley didn't score a goal until midway through the third quarter as Saddleback built up a 7-0 lead.  Robertson led the troops with five goals in the game.

Saddleback will be back in action when they open up Orange Empire Conference play on Wednesday against Orange Coast College.  The game between the Bobcats and Pirates is scheduled to start at 4:00 PM inside the Saddleback Aquatics Center.