Falcons host Loyola Marymount in conference game
10/16/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
THIS WEEK: No. 14 Air Force (6-11 overall, 0-1 WWPA) hosts the Loyola Marymount Lions (5-10, 0-1 WWPA), Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. at the Academy's Cadet Natatorium.
LIVE ON THE WEB: All Air Force home games, and every game of the WWPA Tournament, hosted at the Academy, will be video streamed live on GoAirForceFalcons.com. Go to the water polo schedule and click on the "Watch" link.
THE SERIES: Air Force and Loyola Marymount will meet for the 54th time in series that began in 1980. Loyola leads the all-time series 28-25. Air Force defeated the Lions, 11-9, last season in California.
A LOOK BACK AT LAST WEEK: Air Force posted a 2-2 record at the annual So Cal Tournament in Malibu, Calif. The Falcons fell to No. 8 Long Beach State and No. 9 Pepperdine while defeating No. 15 UC San Diego and Concordia. Junior Robby Stiefel paced the Falcons with 10 goals, 11 assists and 19 steals. He scored at least one goal in every game and had five goals in the win over Concordia. He also had six steals against Concordia and a career high seven vs. UC San Diego.
TOP SCORERS: Junior Robby Stiefel leads the team with 30 goals, 37 assists and 50 steals. He ranks among the conference leaders in all three categories. Junior Eric Curia is second on the team with 24 goals while sophomore Riley Thomas is third with 23. Thomas is second on the team with 10 assists and 27 steals. Junior Max Benson leads the team with 103 saves.
HOME GAME NO. 2: Air Force will host just its second home game of the season when Loyola Marymount comes to the Academy, Oct. 16. The last Falcon home games was one of the most thrilling in some time, despite the finish for the Falcons. After Air Force took an early lead, UC Davis continued to answer until late in the game when Robby Stiefel scored with 21 seconds left to give the Falcons a 10-9 lead. UC Davis tied the game by releaing a lob shot with one second remaining in the fourth quarter. The shot landed just over the head of goaltender Max Benson to tie the game. Neither team scored in the two three-minute overtime periods. In the sudden death overtime, UC Davis won the sprint and scored on the ensuing possession for an 11-10 win over the Falcons.
CONFERENCE GAMES ON THE HORIZON: After several tournaments this season, the Falcons will get into a stretch of conference games. After the Falcons host Loyola Marymount this weekend, Air Force goes on the road to face conference foe UC San Diego, Oct. 22. After two non-conference road games, Air Force plays its final three conference games, starting with a home game against Cal Baptist, Oct. 31.
