CLAREMONT, CA. – The Pomona-Pitzer Men's Water Polo team defeated Caltech 19-4 to open their 2024 SCIAC season on Thursday afternoon at Haldeman Pool.
The Sagehens were led by
Kai Baker and
Micah Webber who each netted their first collegiate hat-tricks in the win.
Darragh Flanders,
Max Distaso, and
Tommy Ryan had two goals each while
John Shafer,
Dillon Joyce,
Julian Montoya,
Alden Pfau,
Theo Bass,
Andrew Plaschke, and
Chris Childs had one.
The Sagehens came out shooting against the Beavers and netted seven goals in the first quarter while shutting out Caltech to take a big early lead. Flanders, Distaso, Plaschke and Baker all netted early goals to take a 4-0 lead before Caltech called a timeout with 3:38 to play in the first. The Sagehens went on to end the first with three more from Baker, Webber, and Distaso to take a 7-0 lead into the second quarter.
Pomona-Pitzer stretched its lead to nine unanswered goals as Joyce and Webber started the second with goals before Caltech got on the board to make it 9-1. Caltech and Pomona-Pitzer each netted one more before halftime as Bass found the back of the net to make it 10-2 heading into halftime.
Ryan, Shafer, Childs and Baker continued the scoring for the Sagehens in the third while Caltech managed to put two goals on the board to make it 14-4 heading into the fourth. The Sagehens then ended the fourth with a shutout and added five more goals from Flanders, Montoya, Ryan, Pfau, and Webber as Pomona-Pitzer started SCIAC play with a win over the Beavers at home.
Up Next: The Sagehens will next host UC Berkeley on Thursday, September 26
th at 7:00 p.m.
