DAVIS, Calif. - The Austin College men's water polo team wrapped up its weekend trip to California with a pair of defeats on Saturday, falling 18-6 to Whittier and dropping a 17-5 contest to NCAA Division I opponent Santa Clara.
Whittier jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first game of the day before a goal from Andrew Pope got Austin College on the board, and after three more goal for the Poets, Robert Griffin found the net to make it a 6-2 game after one. The Whittier lead grew to 9-2 before Evan Cueva scored in the second quarter, and Nathan Butler tallied to cut it to a five goal deficit. However, the Poets would add another goal to make it 10-4 at halftime. Whittier used a 5-1 third quarter to build on that lead, and would close things out with a 3-1 fourth quarter to make it an 18-6 final. Cueva and Butler each scored twice to lead the 'Roos, while Zachary Griffith made 11 saves in goal.
Against Santa Clara, the 'Roos fell behind 5-1 after the first quarter before closing the gap to 8-3 at halftime, but a 7-0 third quarter for Santa Clara put the game out of reach. Pope tallied the first goal of the game, while Will Koelzer and Griffin each scored in the second quarter. Griffin would score again in the fourth, and Michael Colmenares added a tally to round out the Austin College scoring. Michael Marks made 10 saves for the 'Roos.