Claremont, Calif. - Juniors Neil Forsythe (pictured) and Phillip Clayman each had three goals to lead a balanced offense as the Pomona-Pitzer Men's Water Polo team won its SCIAC opener with a 17-5 home win over Occidental on Saturday at Haldeman Pool.
With the win, Pomona-Pitzer improves to 5-12 overall and 1-0 in the SCIAC, while Occidental slips to 5-17 overall and 0-1 in league play.
After an exchange of goals in the opening minute, the Sagehens went on a 11-0 run to pull ahead 12-1 in the third quarter before the Tigers were able to stop the run. Four different players started the run, with senior Stephen Vint, Clayman, sophomore Timmy Hardman and sophomore Nic Lanker finding the net to give Pomona-Pitzer a 5-1 lead after the first.
Hardman, Vint and Clayman all tallied their second goals in the second quarter, while Forsythe capped off the half with a goal in the final minute of the second quarter to make the score 9-1 at the break.
James Baker scored his second goal of the game to start the third quarter, and senior Travis Larsen stretched the run to 10-0 with his first tally to make the score 11-1. Clayman capped off the 11-0 run with his third, before Occidental finally broke the ice and scored the next two goals, but the deficit was far too large to overcome.
Bennett Royce, Austin Strong and Kyle Van der Linde added goals for the Sagehens, who are next in action when they travel on the road to Chapman next Saturday for an 11 a.m. contest.
