CLAREMONT, Calif. – The #16 LMU men's water polo team handled their business on Friday in the opening day of the Verne Troyer Tournament at Axelrood Aquatics Center. The Lions opened the event with a 22-6 win over McKendree and then followed suit with a n 18-6 win over Mount Saint Mary's.
 
Game 1: #16 LMU 22, McKendree 6
 
LMU never trailed, jumping out to a 5-0 lead before McKendree scored. The Lions finished with seven first quarter goals to take a 7-3 advantage. The lead grew to 11-3 at halftime as LMU scored all four goals in the second. A seven-goal third quarter pushed the Lions ahead 18-4. LMU closed out the game with four of the final six goals.
 
Highlighted by the five goals from Roman Saroyan and four from Abel Romero Corbalan, 12 total Lions scored goals. Asher Smith, Josiah Yeager, and Jaxon Hoover all scored two goals apiece, with Richie Rimlinger, Nick Leung, Baptiste Oliveri, Caden Poulleau, Caden Carpenter, Soren Martin, and Max Diaz each scoring once.
 
Stelios Dalmaras earned the win with 12 saves over his 32 minutes in the cage.
 
Game 2: #16 LMU 18, Mount Saint Mary's 6
 
The second game of the day featured a closer first quarter as Mount Saint Mary's tied the game at 1-1 and finished the quarter trailing just 3-2. The Lions expanded the lead to 6-3, doubling up the Mountaineers at the half. Six-goal third and fourth quarters pushed the score to 18-6 as LMU pulled away comfortably.
 
Abel Romero Corbalan equaled the entire scoring output of his opponents, scoring six goals by himself. Caden Carpenter, Soren Martin, and Roman Saroyan each scored a pair of goals, while Richie Rimlinger, Nick Leung, Baptiste Oliveri, Asher Smith, Josiah Yeager, and goalkeeper Stelios Dalmaras all added one goal each of their own.
 
In addition to scoring, Dalmaras made 11 saves with a steal to earn the win.
 
Up Next
 
The tournament continues and moves to Occidental as the Lions take on the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds at noon and close out the weekend against the Occidental Tigers at 5:20.
 
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