Nov. 20, 2009

Box Score in PDF Format

ORANGE, Calif. - The 2009 Western Water Polo Association Championships showed the league's balance this season, with an upset and two nail-biters. However, eighth-ranked LMU showed its steady hand in advancing to the semifinals with a 13-3 win over host Chapman at the Allred Aquatics Center Friday afternoon.

The Lions scored the game's first nine goals, including seven in the first quarter to easily advance. The Lions improve to 17-7 overall and 12-0 in the WWPA. The Lions will face fourth seeded Santa Clara at 1:30 in the first semifinal. The other semifinal will feature No. 7 seed Whittier taking on No. 3 seed UC San Diego.

Whittier upset No. 2 seed Air Force 10-9, while UCSD needed overtime to knock-off No. 6 seed Redlands. Santa Clara advanced with an 8-6 win over No. 5 UC Davis.

Junior Tibor Forai scored three goals, as did junior Daniel Smith to pace the Lions. Smith, Forai and senior Brian Benedetti each scored a pair of goals in the first period. Junior Ikaika Andrew Aki added the seventh goal as the Lions never looked back.

The defense did its part, holding the nation's leading scorer, Chapman's Alex Mule to just 1 goal on 10 sot attempts. Chapman had just 19 shots as a team with junior goalie Andy Stevens, the 2009 WWPA Player of the Year, had seven saves in three quarters.

This will be the second meeting this season between LMU and Santa Clara. The Lions won 7-5 in a classic at the Burns Center.