Water Polo Opens Season at Inland Empire Classic, Rogers '08 Scores Nine Goals in Four Games

Whittier College men's water polo got its season underway with four games at the Inland Empire Classic hosted by the University of La Verne and the University of Redlands on September 8 and 9.  The Poets went 1-3 on the weekend, losing the opener to Division I Pepperdine University 14-3, then bouncing back to win the day one nightcap 11-8 over Pennsylvania State University - Behrend.  On day two, the Poets lost 11-9 to Chapman University and then 14-2 to Division I Concordia University in the weekend finale.

Against Division I, nationally ranked #7 Pepperdine, Manny Sanchez ‘08 led the Poets with a goal and an assist.  Matt Rogers '08 and Chris Villanueva '09 each added goals.  2007 All-American goalie, Matt Brammer '09 made eight saves.

In the win over Penn St.-Behrend, Rogers paced the offense with four goals and three assists.  Villanueva scored five goals and added an assist.  Tim Beck '10 scored his first goal of the season and assisted on another.  Sanchez also scored once and played a big part on the defensive end with four steals.  Brammer was solid in goal once again, turning away eight shots.

In the day two opener against Chapman, Sean Larsen '10 led the Poets with two goals and two assists.  Rogers scored a team-high three goals and Sanchez finished with a pair.  Villanueva and Will Jackson '11 each tallied a goal and two assists.  Brammer made eleven saves in goal.

In the final game of the weekend, Brammer made eleven saves against Concordia.  Rogers and Villanueva each scored a goal as the Poets suffered the 14-2 loss.

The Poets' next contest is at the California Lutheran University mini-tournament on September 14.  They take on Cerritos Community College at 3pm before squaring off with Fresno Pacific University at 6pm.