Nov. 19, 2004

DAVIS, Calif. (Nov. 19) - The Loyola Marymount University men's water polo team advanced to their fifth straight Western Water Polo Association Tournament championship game by showing they are the cardiac kids of this year's tournament. The Lions earned their second straight overtime win, defeating host and third-seed UC Davis 7-6 in sudden-victory overtime in the first semifinal game on Friday afternoon.

Endre Rex-Kiss, one of the nation's top-scorers with 74, scored in the sudden-victory overtime period to give the Lions another come-from-behind victory to advance to a fifth championship game. Rex-Kiss was sitting at two-meter when senior Sean Wimer's shot was deflected and hit the cross bar. The ball fell near Rex-Kiss, who grabbed it and fired it home. It was the junior's only goal of the game.

In a back and forth game, the Lions trailed 6-4 late in the fourth period. Matt Reynolds would start the rally with 4:29 remaining on an extra-man attack goal to cut the lead to one, 6-5. Wimer would then knot the game at 6-6 with a even-strength goal with just 2:03 remaining to send the game to extra frames. Neither team would get a score in the two overtime periods to send the game to sudden-victory.

It was the eighth win of the season the Lions erased a second half deficit as they improve to 3-0 in overtime games this season. LMU improves to 19-10 on the season, giving them the second most wins in program history. UC Davis falls to 17-15 on the year.

LMU would score the games first goal when Tyler Swanson scored on an extra-man attack at the 4:10 mark of the first frame. However, UC Davis answered big, jumping to a 3-1 lead when David Welch scored on an extra-man attack with 5:26 remaining in the second period.

The Lions responded, getting a pair of back-to-back goals from Cutberto Hernandez, the last coming at 3:02 remaining on an extra-man attack, to tie the game at 3-3. The Aggies would take the lead into halftime thanks to a goal from Patrick Jacobson, one of four on the day.

Brian McShane tied the game at 4-4 with 3:45 remaining in the third period. The goal came after the LMU goalie Ian Elliott stopped a four-meter penalty shot by the Aggies. UC Davis would score the final two goals of the third period to take a 6-4 lead to set-up the Lions comeback in the fourth frame.

The Lions will take on UC San Diego or Redlands in the WWPA Championship game at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday.

- GO LIONS -