LOS ANGELES – #14 LMU men's water polo handed #12 California Baptist their first West Coast Conference loss of the season with a 17-13 win on Thursday win.
 
Nick Leung started the game's scoring less than two minutes into gameplay. After CBU tied the score, Roman Saroyan gave the Lions a go-ahead goal at even strength. The Lancers answered to tie the score one final time at the 2:55 mark of the first. LMU ended the period with back-to-back goals from Alika Naone started by a converted penalty shot and followed by a powerplay goal. CBU scored just before time expired to pull within one, 4-3, with two seconds showing on the clock.
 
The Lions used goals from Abel Romero Corbalan and Bence Barics to push ahead by three early in the second period. The only goal from the Lancers came with 52 seconds left in the quarter, but Barics was quick to answer and scored with eight seconds remaining to make it a 7-4 game at the half.
 
California Baptist started the second half with the first two goals to pull within one, 7-6. Caden Poulleau and Nick Leung gave the pushed that lead back to three, 9-6. Following a penalty goal from the Lancers, Romero Corbalan scored back-to-back goals to build the lead back up to four goals. CBU scored twice in the final minute and Soren Martin scored one for the Lions.
 
LMU scored four of the first five goals of the final quarter with the first two coming from Tommaso Baldineti, followed by one from Caden Carpenter and another from Romero Corbalan. CBU responded with three goals over the final two minutes, but Baldineti's goal at 13 seconds clinched the game.
 
Finn Friedland earned the win with a dozen saves and three steals.
 
The Lions remain at home this weekend with a home game Saturday against Concordia.
 
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