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Men's Water Polo tops Connecticut College on Day 1 of Gary Troyer Tournament

Men's Water Polo tops Connecticut College on Day 1 of Gary Troyer Tournament

CLAREMONT, Calif. — Jared Hopley notched four goals and three other Leopards scored two apiece as the University of La Verne men's water polo team defeated Connecticut College, 13-6, on the first day of Gary Troyer Tournament at Axelrod Pool.

Hopley scored three of his four goals in the first period to stake the La Verne out to a 5-3 lead after one and the Leopards never looked back.

Josh Vega, Rey Julian Castillo and Tyler Bennett each found the net twice.

Guillermo Ocasio, Elias Acosta and Jesse Iniquez scored once each.

The Camels did stay within striking range into to the second half a Carlos Heros marker got the Camels within 9-5. But Bennett, Ocasio and Iniquez pieced together a 3-0 run to end the third quarter and dashed any hopes of a comeback by Connecticut.

Ian Hernandez notched seven saves in three quarters and Mason Fox turned away four shots in the final frame.

Heros led the Camels with four goals.

Hopley scored another four against NCAA Division II Cal Baptist in the first game of the day, but the Leopards got off to a slow start as a team and lost, 19-7.

Cal Baptist came out of the gates on firing on all cylinders. The Lancers rattled off six unanswered goals in the first five minutes of the game.

The Leopards did recover with three unanswered goal of its own. Hopley got La Verne on the board with 2:39 left in the first quarter and Vega scored with 19 seconds left in the stanza to give the Leopards some momentum going into the second. Bennett then opened the second quarter scoring to get La Verne within 6-3, but the Lancers responded with a 4-0 run to take a 10-3 lead midway through the quarter.

Hopley stopped the bleeding with his second goal with 2:18 left in the first half but that was as closes as the Leopards would get the rest of the game.

The Leopards are back in action tomorrow at Axelrod Pool against more good competition. La Verne faces SCIAC powerhouse Whittier at 10:30 a.m. and Division UC San Diego at 2:15 p.m.