Falcons Split Two Games To Open The Season
9/2/2006 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
La Jolla, Calif. - The Air Force water polo team got its season off to a solid start Saturday, going 1-1 on day one of the Triton Invitational, hosted by UC San Diego. The Falcons dropped a close 12-9 decision to fifth-ranked Pacific, before downing WWPA foe Whittier, 14-6.
Air Force began the day against Pacific, ranked No. 5 in the preseason. While the Tigers took an early 1-0 lead, the Falcons got back-to-back scores from juniors Justin Berry (Windermere, Fla.) and Clark Condict (Irvine, Calif.) to go up 2-1. The two teams continued to battle back and forth for the remainder of the half, heading into intermission with the score knotted at 7-7.
However, Pacific outscored Air Force 5-2 in the second half, including 3-1 in the fourth period, to grab the 12-9 victory. The Falcons were led by two goals each from Berry, Condict and freshman Alex Churnside (Orange, Calif.), making his collegiate debut. Meanwhile, sophomore Joey Brewer (Clovis, Calif.) and seniors Danny Kimmich (La Jolla, Calif.) and Kyle Schafer (Irvine, Calif.) each pitched in goals for Air Force.
The Falcons' second game of the day pitted them against WWPA rival Whittier. Air Force, which has never lost to the Poets in nine previous contests, trailed 1-0 early in the game, but went on a 7-2 run over the remainder of the first half to grab a four-point lead. While both teams managed just one score apiece in the third period, the Falcons dominated the final quarter, outscoring the Poets 6-2 to secure the 14-6 victory.
Against Whittier, Berry scored three goals to lead the Falcons, along with Brewer. Churnside added two scores each, while Kimmich, Schafer, Matt LeBlanc (Sr., Los Angeles, Calif.), Kevin Williams (So., River Forest, Ill.), Tyler Hewko (So., Laguna Hills, Calif.) and Jack Hines (Fr., Riverside, Calif.) all added a goal each.
Having capturing third place in Group D, Air Force will now move on to face Claremont at 8:00 tomorrow morning. The winner of that match-up will take on Pomona-Pitzer, while the loser falls directly into the 13th-place contest.
No. 5 Pacific 12, Air Force 9
Air Force 0 2 1 0 3
Pacific 3 1 4 1 9
AF Scoring: Berry 2, Churnside 2, Condict 2, Brewer, Kimmich, Schafer
UOP Scoring: Bakic 4, McLaughlin 3, Skora 2, Kaurloto, Garcia, Milcovich
Air Force 14, Whittier 6
Air Force 4 3 1 6 14
Whittier 2 1 1 2 6
AF Scoring: Brewer 3, Berry 3, Churnside 2, Schafer, Kimmich, Hewko, LeBlanc, Williams, Hines
WC Scoring: Canner 2, Villanueva 2, Zerbe, Rogers
Air Force began the day against Pacific, ranked No. 5 in the preseason. While the Tigers took an early 1-0 lead, the Falcons got back-to-back scores from juniors Justin Berry (Windermere, Fla.) and Clark Condict (Irvine, Calif.) to go up 2-1. The two teams continued to battle back and forth for the remainder of the half, heading into intermission with the score knotted at 7-7.
However, Pacific outscored Air Force 5-2 in the second half, including 3-1 in the fourth period, to grab the 12-9 victory. The Falcons were led by two goals each from Berry, Condict and freshman Alex Churnside (Orange, Calif.), making his collegiate debut. Meanwhile, sophomore Joey Brewer (Clovis, Calif.) and seniors Danny Kimmich (La Jolla, Calif.) and Kyle Schafer (Irvine, Calif.) each pitched in goals for Air Force.
The Falcons' second game of the day pitted them against WWPA rival Whittier. Air Force, which has never lost to the Poets in nine previous contests, trailed 1-0 early in the game, but went on a 7-2 run over the remainder of the first half to grab a four-point lead. While both teams managed just one score apiece in the third period, the Falcons dominated the final quarter, outscoring the Poets 6-2 to secure the 14-6 victory.
Against Whittier, Berry scored three goals to lead the Falcons, along with Brewer. Churnside added two scores each, while Kimmich, Schafer, Matt LeBlanc (Sr., Los Angeles, Calif.), Kevin Williams (So., River Forest, Ill.), Tyler Hewko (So., Laguna Hills, Calif.) and Jack Hines (Fr., Riverside, Calif.) all added a goal each.
Having capturing third place in Group D, Air Force will now move on to face Claremont at 8:00 tomorrow morning. The winner of that match-up will take on Pomona-Pitzer, while the loser falls directly into the 13th-place contest.
No. 5 Pacific 12, Air Force 9
Air Force 0 2 1 0 3
Pacific 3 1 4 1 9
AF Scoring: Berry 2, Churnside 2, Condict 2, Brewer, Kimmich, Schafer
UOP Scoring: Bakic 4, McLaughlin 3, Skora 2, Kaurloto, Garcia, Milcovich
Air Force 14, Whittier 6
Air Force 4 3 1 6 14
Whittier 2 1 1 2 6
AF Scoring: Brewer 3, Berry 3, Churnside 2, Schafer, Kimmich, Hewko, LeBlanc, Williams, Hines
WC Scoring: Canner 2, Villanueva 2, Zerbe, Rogers
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