CLAREMONT, Calif. - Gavin Netherton's shot at the regulation buzzer hit off the crossbar and down into the net to give the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's water polo team a dramatic 12-11 win over Harvard on Sunday morning at Axelrood Pool. 

With the win, the Stags, who are ranked No. 2 in Division III, improve to 4-1 on the season, while Harvard, which was ranked No. 16 in Division I in the first weekly poll, falls to 5-6 with the loss. 

Harvard trailed 11-9 with 4:24 to go on a goal from the Stags' Nick Kennedy, but managed to tie the score with 1:49 to go. CMS missed on an extra-man opportunity to go back in front, and the Crimson had the chance to take the lead in the final minute, but CMS goalie Jake Taylor came off his line for a steal with 24 seconds left. 

With the shot clock off, CMS pulled Taylor for an extra attacker, and waited until the last second, as Kennedy had the ball at the point and fed a short pass to his left. Netherton caught the ball and then skipped a shot that hit off the bar, dropped down, and just went over the line as the horn sounded, giving CMS the dramatic win. 

Harvard had the better of the play early, surging ahead 5-1 in the first quarter, but CMS settled in and got back even in the second quarter. Stryker Scales stopped the run with the final goal of the first, and Thomas Walker sandwiched two goals around one from Luke (Bear) Weigle to level the game at 5-5 with 30 seconds left in the half. 

Harvard scored with two seconds left in the half to take a 6-5 lead into the break, but Nelson Harris pulled the Stags even at 6-6 and again at 7-7. Walker answered another Harvard goal to tie it 8-8, and Jeffrey Koretz gave CMS its first lead at 9-8 with 2:34 left in the third. 

Walker finished with five goals and two assists for a career-high seven points, while Kennedy had a goal and five assists. Taylor finished hte game with 10 saves and a team-high four steals in goal. 

CMS will be back in action next weekend when it travels to UCLA to compete in the MPSF Tournament.