Air Force Academy
Chapman University
Falcons handle Chapman, 18-7
10/29/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- Air Force scored eight unanswered goals in the second period en route to an 18-7 win over Chapman in a non-conference water polo game, Saturday, Oct. 29, at the Academy's Cadet Natatorium. Air Force picked up two wins on the day, defeating Fresno Pacific, 19-10, earlier in the day for its first conference win of the season. Seven Air Force seniors, Max Benson, Eric Curia, Brett Fogelberg, Zach Kamai Bryce Leiter, Riley Quinlan and Erik Whyte played their first home game at the Cadet Natatorium.
Air Force, 7-14 overall and 1-4 in the WWPA, took an early lead on goals by Leiter and Quinlan. Chapman's Jeff O'Brien scored on a five-meter shot at 5:30 to make the score 2-1, but Air Force scored the next 10 goals. Ryan Dorris and Jack Empey scored late in the first for a 4-1 lead after one.
Empey and Leiter each scored twice in the second quarter as Air Force took a 12-1 lead into the half. Chapman battled back in the third, out-scoring the Falcons, 5-2. O'Brien scored twice early and then Cameron Genetti scored on the power play with 1:25 left to cut the Falcon lead to 14-6. Air Force scored four unanswered goals in the fourth as Empey scored twice. Quinlan scored on a five-meter shot and George Millard rounded out the Falcon scoring with 3:03 left. Christian Conella rounded out the scoring for Chapman with 57 seconds left to make up the final margin.
Empey led the Falcons with five goals and added an assist. Leiter scored three while Quinlan, Andres and Thomas each scored two. Quinlan and Andres each had three assists. Kamai and Curia led the team with three steals each. Max Benson made seven saves in the game for Air Force. Sophomore James Rydjeski played the final 5:29 and had a save.
Air Force will travel to California for the final regular season games as the Falcons will play a WWPA game against Cal Baptist on Nov. 4 and non-conference games against Concordia (Nov. 5) and Claremont-Mudd Scripps (Nov. 6)
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