Claremont, Calif. - Tanner Cullen had six goals to lead the second-seeded CMS Men's Water Polo team to a 16-8 win over top-seeded Pomona-Pitzer in the SCIAC Postseason Tournament finals on Sunday afternoon at Whittier.
Jarrod Gaut (Irvine, Calif. - pictured) had four goals for the Sagehens, who fall to 14-15 overall on the year and 10-1 against SCIAC foes. CMS improves to 13-16 overall and 9-2 against league opponents.
The two teams finished with an identical 16 points in the final SCIAC standings (Pomona-Pitzer had eight in the regular season, eight for a second-place finish in the touranment, while CMS had six points in the regular season and 10 for the SCIAC Postseason Tournament title).
The Sagehens never led, as they fell behind 2-0 in the opening minutes of the game. Freshman Phillip Clayman (Clovis, Calif.) had a goal to make the score 2-1, and sophomore Clayton Hardman (Old Greenwich, Conn.) scored with 14 seconds left in the first quarter to make the score 3-2.
CMS, though, scored the first four goals of the second quarter to take a 7-2 lead before Gaut finally answered coming out of a timeout to make the score 7-3 going into the break. After Gaut scored again to make the score 8-4 early in the third quarter, the Stags scored four straight goals to take a commanding 12-4 lead. Pomona-Pitzer got as close as 12-7 on a goal from sophomore Stephen Vint (El Cajon, Calif.) late in the third, but could come no closer.
Vint was the catalyst offensively for the Sagehens, as he had five assists, frequently finding Gaut in front with well-timed entry passes. Including his goal, he accounted for 75 percent of the team's scoring.
Huston Middlesworth added three goals for the Stags, who avenged last season's 7-4 loss to the Sagehens in the SCIAC finals. Last year, graduated senior Kyle Pokorny was the hot goalie leading Pomona-Pitzer to the title (13 saves), while this year James Kelly was on fire between the posts for the Stags, tallying 15 saves.
Pomona-Pitzer and CMS will both return back to action at Whittier again next weekend for the Western Water Polo Association Tournament.
