LOS ANGELES – LMU men's water polo played two games on Friday night and earned a win over Westcliff, 20-13, and a loss to #3 USC, 13-3.
 
GAME 1: #16 LMU 20, Westcliff 13
 
Westcliff opened the scoring in the first minute of play before Abel Romero Corbalan scored back-to-back goals including a go-ahead penalty shot. The Warriors tied the game at 2-all until Tommaso Baldineti put the Lions back ahead on their ensuing possession. Westcliff again tied the game before a second Romero Corbalan penalty shot and a Tommaso Baldineti goal gave the Lions a two-goal lead. The visitors tied the score with the final minutes before the half to level the game at 5-5.
 
Baldineti scored on LMU's opening possession of the second quarter. The lead held briefly as Westcliff delivered a tying score for the fourth time in the opening 10 minutes of action. Romero Corbalan started a 5-0 run to close the half. Baldineti, Baptiste Oliveri, Romero Corbalan, and Nick Leung all scored, with Leung beating the halftime buzzer.
 
The Lions continued the scoring run with the first five goals of the third quarter to bring it to 10 unanswered goals. Bence Barics started the half with the scoring, and Caden Carpenter, Richie Rimlinger, Romero Corbalan, and Josiah Yeager all added goals. After Westcliff put an end to the stretch of consecutive goals with three of their own, Romero Corbalan scored his seventh of the game to end the half.
 
After Westcliff cut their deficit to 17-11, Rimlinger scored his second goal on his second shot of the day. The Warriors added one more goal before Barics and Baldineti pushed the Lions to the 20-goal mark. Westcliff scored the final goal of the game.
 
Stelios Dalmaras earned the win and made seven saves with an assist and three steals. Finn Friedland started the game and recorded four saves.
 
GAME 2: #3 USC 13, #16 LMU 3
 
The Lions jumped on the board first with an opening minute goal from Tommaso Baldineti. The lead remained until the 4:08 mark when the Trojans scored their first goal of the day. USC added a second goal on a powerplay to take a 2-1 lead after the opening period.
 
The only goal of the second quarter came on a 6-on-5 for USC, pushing the Trojans to a 3-1 halftime lead.
 
After the third-ranked team added one early in the second half, Richie Rimlinger pushed the ball past the visiting goalkeeper to make it a 4-2 game with 6:09 showing on the third quarter clock. USC responded with the next four goals before Abel Romero Corbalan closed the period with a converted 5-meter penalty shot.
 
The Trojans scored all five goals in the final period.
 
The goalkeepers for both teams each finished with 15 saves apiece with Stelios Dalmaras keeping the game close through much of the night.
 
UP NEXT:
 
The Lions remain at home to face UC San Diego for the second time this season. The game will be played under the lights Saturday at 6:00 PM.
 
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