Falcons beat Fresno Pacific, 11-10, advance to WWPA Semifinals

Nov. 20, 2015

Riley Thomas scored with 2:47 left in the third as fifth-seeded Air Force defeated fourth-seeded Fresno Pacific, 11-10, in the first round of the Western Water Polo Association Championships, Friday, Nov. 20, at the Academy's Cadet Natatorium. Air Force will face third-seeded UC San Diego in the semifinals, Saturday, Nov. 21, at 3 pm MT. In the other semifinal game, top-seeded UC Davis will face seventh-seeded Cal Baptist, who upset No. 2 Loyola Marymount.

Air Force opened the scoring just 63 seconds into the contest when Justin Harrison scored from his two-meter position. Fresno then scored the next two goals for a 2-1 lead with 2:04 remaining. Air Force answered with the next two goals. Riley Quinlan scored on the counter attack on a pass from Eric Curia at 1:24. Freshman Edward Smet gave the Falcons a 3-2 lead with 34 second left, but the Sunbirds tied the game on the power play with 11 seconds left in the first.

The Falcons scored the first two goals of the second quarter for a 5-3 lead. Harrison's second of the game came off of Jason Lee's centering pass on the power play at 6:37. Air Force struck again on the power play as Oliver Carter scored from Garrett Fisk at 4:04. The Sunbirds cut the Falcon lead to 5-4 at 2:30 on the power play on a goal by Steven Kaufmann.

After Fresno tied the game on the power play at 6:18 of the third quarter, the Falcons had a penalty shot, but Riley Thomas' shot was saved. Fresno took its first lead of the game at 6-5 on a penalty shot by Zlatko Vlasic. Falcon Zack Kamai scored at 5:07 to tie the game and then the Falcons had their second penalty shot of the third quarter. Edward Smet's shot was saved and the game remained tied at 6-6. Carter scored after Smet's shot hit the cross bar at 2:37, but Vlasic's second of the quarter tied the game at 7-7. Riley Quinlan scored from Carter with 43 seconds left, but Sunbird Kyle Madel tied the game at 8-8.

The Sunbirds took a 9-8 lead early in the fourth, but Carter's third of the game tied the score at 9-9 at 5:49. Fresno regained the lead on the power play, but the Falcons again answered. Kamai's hustle chased down a loose ball in the corner and Garrett Fisk scored at 3:10 to tie the game at 10-10. On the counter attack, Eric Curia fed Thomas for the game-winner at 2:47. After each team had a possession in the final minute, the Falcons controlled the ball with less than 30 seconds left and passed the ball around as time expired.

Carter, the season team captain, led the Falcons with three goals. Harrison and Quinlan each had two.

Air Force improved to 11-16 overall this season.

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