Falcons take two on senior day

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – On senior day, the Air Force water polo team swept a pair of games over Austin College and Concordia, Saturday, Oct. 16, at the Academy's Cadet Natatorium. The Falcons defeated Austin College, 15-12, and WWPA foe Concordia, 16-9.

Prior to the Austin College game, the Falcons honored its seven seniors. The class of 2021 consists of: James Daugherty, Sam Fuller, Gavin Jones, Zach Shelley, co-captain Corey Tanis, co-captain Anthony Tolbert and Henry Yavitt. As juniors, the class helped lead the Falcons to the 2020 WWPA regular-season championship. This season, the class has led the Falcons to the best start since 1977.
In the first game, Air Force held off Austin College for a 15-12 win as Grant Snyder scored five goals and Anthony Tolbert made 11 saves. The Roos scored the first two goals of the game, but Air Force answered with the next four, two from Sam Fuller, for a 4-2 lead. The Falcons outscored the Roos, 5-1 in the second quarter for a 9-4 lead at the half. Snyder and Ian Christie each scored twice. Snyder's second of the game came off of his own steal, and then goal, with 1:06 left.

The second half was much different. The Roos outscored the Falcons, 4-2, in the third quarter, capitalizing on a power-play goal and two penalty shots to cut the Falcon lead to 11-8. Snyder's third of the game came off of a great pass from Ryan McLaughlin, but the Roos scored three straight to cut the Falcon lead to 12-11 with 2:22 left in the fourth. Air Force scored the next three goals, with the seniors coming up big. Fuller set up Christie for a goal at 2:08 for a 13-11 lead. Snyder scored on a penalty shot at 1:47 and then Tolbert stopped a penalty shot at 1:15. A pair of seniors gave the Falcons a 14-11 lead as Gavin Jones set up Corey Tanis for a tip in at 1:10. The Falcons scored three goals in 58 seconds for a 15-11 lead. Austin netted a power play goal at the buzzer to make up the final margin.

Air Force improved to 15-3 overall and 4-1 in league play with a 16-9 win over conference rival Concordia. The teams traded goals in the first quarter as the game was deadlocked at 2-2. Goals by Sam Fuller and Sam De La Cruz gave the Falcons a 5-3 lead in the second quarter. Air Force dominated the third quarter, outscoring the Eagles, 6-1. Snyder scored three in the third for an 11-4 advantage. In a wild fourth quarter, each team scored five goals, but the Eagles never got closer than five goals. In the final minute of the game, Joey Schell and Zach Shelley scored in the 16-9 win. Snyder had five goals against the Eagles for 10 on the day. A.J. Kuypers had 11 saves.

Air Force hosts the final home game of the season against WWPA foe Santa Clara, Sunday, Oct. 17, at 11 am at the Cadet Natatorium.

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Players Mentioned

Ian Christie

Sam De La Cruz

Sam Fuller

Gavin Jones

A.J. Kuypers

Ryan McLaughlin

Joey Schell

Zach Shelley

Grant Snyder

Corey Tanis

Anthony Tolbert

Henry Yavitt

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