CLAREMONT, Calif. -
Evan Liberatore had five goals and
Gavin Netherton added four as the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's water polo team earned a high-scoring 20-16 win over Whittier on Saturday at Axelrood Pool.
CMS also dropped a 21-7 decision to No. 7 Long Beach State in the second game of the day, as it moves to 7-10 overall on the season and 3-1 in SCIAC play, dropping Whittier to 2-2.
A high scoring first quarter saw
Weston Hartel and Evan Libertore score two straight goals to turn a 5-5 tie into a 7-6 lead. After the Poets closed it to 7-6, CMS was able to get some separation in the second quarter by scoring the final three goals to take a 12-8 lead into the half.
Fletcher Appeldorn started the run, with Liberatore adding two more in the final minute of the half to make it a four-goal lead. Appeldorn and Netherton had two straight goals to make it a 15-10 lead in the third and the Stags were able to hold on down the stretch.
Hartel, Appeldorn, and
Christopher Petrossian each had two goals, while
Jack Balas, Hartel and Netherton each had two assists. Liberatore also had a team-high three steals.
CMS fell in the nightcap to Long Beach State 21-7 with
Christopher Petrossian scoring twice and
Jeffrey Koretz,
Asher Engelberg,
Jack Balas,
Stryker Scales and Netherton adding tallies for the Stags. CMS fell behind 7-0 after the first, and got as close as 12-6 after a Koretz goal before the 49ers pulled away.
CMS will be back in action when it travels to Chapman on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. contest.
