Nov. 23, 2008

Second Half Perfection Defends Title LMU men's water polo claims their sixth WWPA title with 12-10 win over No. 9 UC San Diego.

Claremont, CA - The eighth-ranked Loyola Marymount men's water polo team picked the best time of the season to play their best half of water polo as they executed to near perfection in the second half of the 2008 Western Water Polo Association title game to pull away from ninth-ranked UC San Diego and earn a 12-10 win. With the win the Lions earn the WWPA automatic bid to the upcoming NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship at Stanford.

"This was a great team win," said Head Coach John Loughran. "Each player performed the role they have all year and executed as well as we have all year. We just got stronger as they game went on. The defense just got stronger and intensity grew. Then from the third period on we were at our best."

The Lions, who trailed after the first period 2-1, held a 6-5 lead at the break. However, UC San Diego scored the first two goals of the third period, one on a five-meter penalty shot with 7:21 to play and the other on a 6-on-5 with 5:19 to play, to take a 7-6 lead. That would be the last time they would lead.

Andrew Aki tied the game with 4:50 to play in the third quarter and then gave LMU an 8-7 lead 40 seconds later. UC San Diego managed to tie the game at 8-8 with 2:54 to play setting the tone for yet another tight finish.

The two teams had played three times on the season with LMU winning all three in the final seconds or in overtime. Not this time.

LMU's defense, led by tournament MVP Andy Stevens in goal, would allow just two more goals the rest of the way. Stevens, who was also the WWPA Player of the Year, would finish the game with 15 saves.

Senior Tim Heafner would close the third frame with a goal to give LMU a 9-8 lead, one they would not let go of. Sophomore Tibor Forai would own the fourth quarter, scoring on the first possession of the final frame to give LMU a two-goal lead, 10-8.

"Stevens was outstanding in goal for us tonight and Tibor really picked up his shot in the final quarter and that made the difference," said Loughran. "The seniors have been a key all year and their leadership once again push us to the win."

UC San Diego made it 10-9 with 5:03 to play on a 6-on-5 goal before Forai put in back-to-back goals, including a floater over the goalies head with 55 seconds to play to make the score 12-9. UCSD tacked on a late goal with 10 second to play for the final margin.

Forai finished the game with five goals as six others joined him in scoring.

LMU improves to 20-9 (.690) on the season, giving the Lions their third 20-win season in program history. It is also the second best record in program history, second only to the 22-9 (.709) mark in 1999.

Seeding for the 40th Annual National Collegiate Men's Water Polo Championship will take place Sunday, Nov. 30. Competition will take place at the Avery Aquatic Center on the campus of Stanford University Dec. 6-7.

2008 WWPA Championships - All Tournament Teams
MVP - Andy Stevens - LMU

First Team
Andrew Becshkehazy - RED (Driver, Senior) Tim Hummel - LMU (Utility, Senior) Adi Jerkovic - UCSD (Driver, Senior) AJ Kotanjian - UCSD Utility, Senior) Aaron Salit - UCD (2MD, Soph.) Jack Wall - SCU (Driver, Junior) Andy Stevens - LMU (Goalie, Soph.)

Second Team
Liam Farrell - SCU (Utility, Junior) Tibor Forai - LMU (Driver, Soph) Daniel Garcia - UCSD (2MO, Junior) Ben Hadley - PP (Driver, Soph) Tyler Hewko - AFA (Utility, Senior) Grant Muenter - UCD (Driver, Senior) David Ostrom - AFA (Goalie, Junior)

GOALS

UCSD: Kotanjian-5, Garcia-2, Hunt-1, Jerkovic-1, Donohoe-1 

LMU: Forai-5, Aki-2, Lormont-1, Hummel-1, Milovic-1, Heafner-1, Asajavicius-1

SAVES

UCSD: Morton-7

LMU: Stevens-15