SHERMAN, Texas - In front of a raucous crowd of more than 500 fans packed into Hannah Natatorium, the Austin College men's water polo team made history by playing the first varsity home game in program history, as well as the first varsity college game in the state of Texas in more than 40 years. The 'Roos fell in the contest to NCAA Division I program Brown University.
Brown got on the board first, but Alex Rodriguez became the first 'Roo player to score in a home game midway through the first quarter to even things up. The Bears quickly regained the lead, but Nico Masso found the net to make it 2-2. Brown would respond with three unanswered goals to end the opening quarter leading 5-2, and the momentum carried into the second, as three more goals made it an 8-2 game. However, the 'Roos scored once more before the half, this time with Connor Watson putting it in the goal to make it 8-3 at the break.
The third quarter belonged to Brown, as the Bears scored all four goals in the frame to take a 12-3 lead heading into the fourth. A Bears goal to open the fourth made it 13-3 before Austin College broke the scoring streak, finding the net themselves on a goal by Brett Skinner to make it 13-4. However, that would be the last tally of the game for Austin College, while Brown scored three more times to make it a 16-4 final.
The 'Roos and Bears will square off for the third time this season tomorrow in Dallas, on the campus of Southern Methodist University.