La Verne, Calif. - Pomona-Pitzer's men's water polo team narrowly defeated La Verne, 10-9, Saturday in the second round of the SCIAC Tournament to earn a spot in the Fifth Place Game Sunday against Cal Lutheran at 11:45am at Las Flores Park. 

SCIAC Tourney Site

Phillip Clayman (pictured) opened up the scoring for the Sagehens but ULV's Joshua Vega followed close behind to even out the score, 1-1. James Baker's goal gave Pomona-Pitzer a 3-2 lead after one quarter. In the second, Neil Forsythe and Baker scored to give the Sagehens a 5-2 leads, but ULV then scored four in a row for a 6-5 halftime lead.

Opening the third quarter, Clayman picked up his third goal of the game to tie it at 6-6. ULV's Ian Hernandez stepped out of the goal to break up a Sagehen transition and it almost cost him as Nic Lanker's shot nearly drifted into the cage. The Sagehens would not slow down as Tommy Turner and Timmy Hardman goals gave the Sagehens the lead, 8-6. A mistimed reentry cost the Sagehens a 5M penalty shot which Bryan Jimenez skipped past Daniel Diemer to cut the lead back to 8-7, but Baker scored to give Pomona-Pitzer a 9-7 lead heading into the fourth .

Hardman scored to open the fourth, and two ULV goals -- one with five seconds remaining -- only narrowed the gap. 

Baker and Clayman each scored three goals for the Sagehens, while Hardman added two, and Forsythe and Turner each scored one. Goalie Daniel Diemer had six saves in goal.