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LOS ANGELES - On a special day for the Loyola Marymount water polo program, the Lions were unable to add a win to the day's agenda. After the Lions Water Polo Association opened the day with a $5,000 check presentation, LMU fell to Whittier, 13-9, before ending the day honoring Domonick Beaudine with the Testman Scholarship.

The Lions opened the game with two unanswered goals, and never surrendered the lead. Edward Moss scored the game's first goal with 3:29 to play in the first and was quickly followed by powerplay goal by Alessio Brunochelli with 2:56 remaining in the period.

After Whittier got on the board, the Lions closed out the period with a quick response by Austin Clark at the 1:29 mark and in LMU's final possession Davis Waugh scored his first.

Whittier opened the second period with a goal, but Matt Braun had an answer on the next time down the pool to make it a 5-2 game with 6:53 to play until halftime. The Poets then scored four consecutive goals in the quarter, taking the lead for the first time, 6-5, and carrying it into the half.

The Poet's scored once more in the third quarter before Matthew Knoedler ended the run with a goal at the 5:22 mark of the third. After Whittier pushed their lead back to two, Jacob Markle cut it in half to 8-7 with 2:18 to play in the third. The Poets closed out the period with two goals, including one in the final second to make it a 10-7 game entering the final quarter.

With 5:06 to play, Markle scored his second of the game after Whittier had opened the fourth quarter with two goals. Clark added his second of the game in the period as well, but Whittier's lead was too much.

LMU remains at home for a pair of matches next week. The Lions host Iona on Thursday and play a conference match against UC San Diego on Friday. Both will start at 3 p.m. at Burns Aquatic Center.

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