ORANGE, Calif. — Rey Julian Castillo found the back of the net with 45 seconds left in the game to lift the University of La Verne men's water polo team to a 10-9 comeback win over Chapman on Saturday at Allred Pool
The Leopards fell behind early in the game but used a massive 6-0 run in the second quarter to insert themselves back into the game. Chapman had a 4-1 lead at the end of the quarter but the Leopards fired off six unanswered goals keyed by three goals from Castillo to start the second and staked out to a 7-4 advantage.
Chapman's Jeff O'Brien scored with seven seconds left in the first half to stunt La Verne's momentum and the Panthers notched the first goals of the second half to retake the lead. But with 1:31 left in the third Joshua Vega drilled one into the upper corner to tie the game at 8-8 and scored another equalizer early in the fourth after O'Brien found the net to open the final frame.
La Verne then fought off two exclusions keep the game tied at 9-9 and Castillo brought the Leopards home with his goal.
The Leopards pick up their second win in a row and improves to 4-14 overall and 2-1 in the SCIAC. Chapman slips to 3-12 and 1-2.
Castillo led all scorers with five goals, and Vega and Guillermo Ocasio notched two goals each. Rex Sample opened the big second quarter run with his lone goal of the game.
The Leopards are back in action on Wednesday at Pomona-Pitzer at 7 p.m.