LOS ANGELES – LMU men's water polo officially welcomed in West Coast Conference competition with a 12-7 win over Air Force in the conference home opener on Friday night.
 
The No. 11 Lions jumped out to a two-goal lead thanks to back-to-back goals from Tommaso Baldineti. After the Falcons converted on a powerplay Tyler Harvey and Jonny RImlinger scored on consecutive possessions to push LMU ahead 4-1. Air Force closed out the quarter with a goal at the 2:10 mark.
 
Harvey and Baldineti added to the LMU lead in the second quarter before the Falcons made it a 6-3 game at the half.
 
Within a minute and a half of the second half, the lead grew to 8-3 as Augie Renezeder and Abel Romero Corbalan each scored even-strength goals. After Air Force got one back, Renezeder and Nick Leung pushed the lead to 10-4 with a goal apiece. The Falcons scored as time expired to make it a five-goal difference heading into the final quarter.
 
Air Force came within four goals to open the fourth quarter, but answers from Richie Rimlinger and Baldinetti doubled the Lions back up, 12-6. The Falcons scored the final goal of the game with 3:03 to play, but could not get anything else past LMU goalkeeper Stelios Dalmaras.
 
Matching his career-high, Dalmaras made 18 saves and added an assist in his 32 minutes in the cage.
 
The Lions will continue WCC play next weekend with road games at Santa Clara and San Jose State.
 
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