Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 IRVINE, Calif. – No. 13 LMU men's water polo earned a win and a loss in the opening day of the first-ever WCC-Big West Clash. LMU defeated No. 16 California Baptist in the opening game of the tournament before falling to the hosts, UC Irvine, in the second game of group play.
 
GAME 1: #13 LMU 18, #16 CBU 14
 
Freshman Nick Leung opened the scoring for the Lions before CBU tied the score on their ensuing possession. Denzel Tate and Tommaso Baldineti pushed the Lions up two goals heading into the final minute of the opening period. The Lancers cut their deficit in half with 49 seconds showing on the clock, but Augie Renezder pushed it back to a two-goal advantage just 15 seconds later.
 
California Baptist opened the second quarter with another goal from Bodhi Bowden before LMU rattled off four unanswered goals scored by four different players. Jonny Rimlinger, Abel Romero Corbalan, Tate, and Jack Dunbar teamed up to extend the lead to 8-3. A penalty goal in the final minute by the Lancers made it an 8-4 LMU advantage at the half.
 
After CBU opened the third with a goal, back-to-back finishes by Baldineti extended LMU's lead to 10-5. After 10-6, the Lions scored consecutive goals again as Romero Corbalan and Max Walsworth each converted while on a 6-on-5 advantage. The Lancers scored the last three goals of the period to cut their seven-goal deficit down to four.
 
A powerplay goal by Romero Corbalan just 12 seconds into the final quarter. CBU responded with the next four of the next five goals to bring the score to 15-13 with 3:03 to play. Baldineti's goal was the only one for LMU during that stretch. The Lions closed the game with three of the final four goals, with each of their three leading goal-scorers adding an extra to their totals. Rimlinger scored with 2:40 remaining, Baldineti added his fifth of the day with 34 seconds showing, and Romero Corbalan scored his fourth in the final three seconds.

GAME 2: #9 UC Irvine 15, #13 LMU 8
 
Tommaso Baldineti continued his hot play with the game's opening goal. The Anteaters scored the game's next two goals before Max Walsworth tied the game at 2-all just before the midway point of the first period. UCI scored twice down the stretch to carry a 4-2 lead after one quarter.
 
The Anteaters added three unanswered goals in the second period to take a 7-2 halftime lead.
 
Abel Romero Corbalan put an end to the scoreless streak with a powerplay goal on LMU's opening possession of the second half. After UC Irvine added one back, Augie Renezeder scored for the Lions to bring the score to 8-4. LMU would add another 6-on-5 goal in the period, with this one coming from Denzel Tate. A late penalty shot goal gave UCI an 11-5 lead after three.
 
Freshman Chassen Corlett scored twice in the final quarter for the Lions, with Richie Rimlinger also accounting for a goal.

UP NEXT:
The WCC-Big West Challenge continues Saturday with the Lions taking on No. 7 Long Beach State Sunday morning with a 9:15 AM game. 
 
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