Nov. 21, 2009

ORANGE, Calif. -- Top-seeded LMU men's water polo clinched a berth in the Western Water Polo Association championship game with a convincing 12-7 victory over Santa Clara on Saturday afternoon at the Allred Aquatics Center on the Chapman University campus. It is the Lions 11th straight trip to the WWPA title game as they will face rival UC San Diego at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.

LMU never trailed in the game and pulled away from Santa Clara in the second and third quarters out-scoring the Broncos 6-2 in that time.

After one, the Lions led by a goal, 4-3. They then started the break-away. The Lions scored the first two goals of the quarter and then the Lions' sophomore driver Edgaras Asajavicius scored his third goal of the game late in the second quarter to give LMU a 7-3 lead. Junior driver Tibor Forai also scored three goals for the Lions. His final goal gave LMU its largest lead of the day at 12-6 in the fourth quarter.

WWPA Player of the Year Andy Stevens was solid in goal for the Lions with 14 saves, including eight in the second half. He also knocked away a pair of five-meter penalty shots in the first half to set the tone.

The Lions improve to 18-7 overall and 13-0 in the WWPA this season with the win. Derek Milligan and Ikaika Andrew Aki scored a pair each.

This will mark the eighth time in the last 10 years that UC San Diego and LMU will meet in the WWPA championship game. UCSD won in 2000, 2002 and 2006 with LMU taking the other four. LMU will be playing for their third straight title and seventh since 2001.