LA VERNE, Calif. — Bryan Jimenez and Makai DeNeve-Arnam both notched hat tricks to lead the University of La Verne men's water polo team to a 11-8 win over Caltech on Wednesday afternoon at La Verne Aquatics Center.
La Verne improves to 5-13 overall and 1-1 in SCIAC play. Caltech falls to 7-10 and 0-1.
The Leopards raced out to an 8-1 halftime lead aided by two goals apiece from DeNeve-Arnam and Jimenez in the half. But the tables turned around in the second half as the Beavers outscored the Leopards, 7-3, in the second half. Caltech got within 10-7 with 3:10 left in the game, but Jared Hopley responded for La Verne on the next possession to give the Leopards some breathing room.
Caltech kept up the pressure with Christopher Bradley's goal in 2:26 left but the Leopards clamped down rest of the way to preserve their first SCIAC win of the year.
DeNeve-Arnam set the early tone with two straight goals to open the game. Bradley got the Beavers on the board at the 1:54 mark in the first quarter but Jimenez answered with two consecutive goals of own to give the Leopards a 4-1 lead.
Dominic D'Andrea, Jared Hopley, Chad Castro and Ryan Batchelor all scored in the second quarter and the defense shut out the Beavers to cruise into the break.
The Beavers made their move in the third as they rattled off three consecutive goals to pull within 9-4 heading into the fourth.
Caltech strung together another 3-0 run in the fourth, but the seven-point first half deficit proved too much to overcome.
Ian Hernandez got the start in the cage for La Verne and made four saves in one half of action. Corbett McDaniel took over in the second half and made five saves.
Bradley led all players with five goals for Caltech.
The Leopards return to action on Saturday at Cal Lutheran.
La Verne 11, Caltech 8
Oct. 21, 2015 • La Verne, Calif.
LV 4 – 4 – 1 – 2 = 11
CIT 1 – 0 – 3 – 4 = 13
SCORING:
LV – Makai DeNeve-Arnam 3, Bryan Jimenez 3, Jared Hopley 2, Dominic D'Andrea, Chad Castro, Ryan Batchelor
CIT – C. Bradley 5, T. Tussie, J. Blackwood, J. Bonilla
