Box Score
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – #13 LMU men's water polo (11-9, 4-1 WWPA) never trailed Thursday night at #19 California Baptist (12-14, 2-3 WWPA), but overcame four tie scores in the fourth quarter alone to top the Lancers on the road.
The game opened with an
Alexandros Athymaritis goal less than 20 seconds into LMU's first possession. After CBU tied the game at 1-1 on their ensuing offensive attack,
Blazo Mitrovic scored his first goal of the day to get his 10-point outing started. The Lancers tied the score before LMU rattled off three consecutive goals to take the 5-2 lead into the second quarter. All three goals to close out the period were scored by different players,
David Carrasco,
Joseph Cavazos, and
Daniel Roth.
The lead was extended to 8-3 as Cal Baptist opened the second with a goal then
Austin Clark scored back-to-back and Mitrovic added another. CBU scored the only other two goals of the period to make it an 8-5 game at intermission.
Roth broke up a stretch of goals by CBU to open the second half, but the Lancers made it a 1-goal game at 9-8. Mitrovic pushed the Lions ahead by two before the Lancers found the equalizer with two straight goals. With 20 seconds remaining in the period, Mitrovic gave the lead back to LMU and pushed the Lions ahead 11-10 after three.
The game was tied at 11-11, 12-12, 14-14, and 15-15 in a back-and-forth final quarter. Mitrovic scored LMU's first three goals of the final eight minutes, and Roth added one late. After the Lancers tied it one final time with 2:17 remaining, Mitrovic put away his eighth goal of the night as the Lions benefitted with a man advantage at the 1:29 mark. The defense and goalkeeper
Jon Lien stayed tough in the final minute and a half to preserve the win. Lien finished with seven saves and two steals.
Mitrovic matched his career-high set earlier this season with eight goals on nine shots, and added two assists to reach the double-digit scoring mark. Carrasco led the team with four assists.
The Lions have a quick turnaround, playing another WWPA opponent on Saturday morning. Concordia comes to Burns Recreation Center for an 11 a.m. match this weekend.
