Saturday, November 20
Davis, CA
1:30 pm MT
Air Force Academy
16
vs
17
Santa Clara University
Falcons fall in overtime to Santa Clara
11/20/2021 5:39:00 PM | Men's Water Polo
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Santa Clara's Blake D'Souza scored in sudden-death overtime as the Broncos defeated Air Force, 17-16, in the second round of the Western Water Polo Association Tournament, Saturday, Nov. 20, at the Schaal Aquatic Center in Davis, Calif.
Air Force concludes the 2021 season with an overall record of 17-9, the most wins under head coach Ryan Brown and the most since the 2012 team won 19.
Air Force had a 14-13 lead late in the fourth quarter, but the Broncos tied the game on Zach Fales' goal just before the buzzer sounded. Then in the second overtime, SCU had a 16-14 lead with 95 seconds left, but goals by Grant Snyder and Cole Kopperud forced the sudden-death period.
Senior Gavin Jones opened the scoring early in the first quarter, but Santa Clara scored the next two goals. Senior Jimbo Daugherty tied the game at 2-2 with a goal at 1:27 of the first. Sam De La Cruz scored a power play goal from Ian Christie with two seconds left in the first for a 3-2 Falcon lead. Christie scored 57 seconds into the second quarter for a 4-2 lead. Christie's second of the game and then a pair of goals from senior Sam Fuller gave the Falcons a 7-3 advantage with 3:39 left in the second. The seniors continued to score as Corey Tanis found the back of the net for an 8-4 lead. The Broncos scored late in the second quarter as the Falcons held an 8-5 lead at the intermission.
Goals by Daugherty and Christie gave the Falcons a 10-7 lead at 3:53 of the third quarter, but the Broncos rallied to tie the game 11-11 late in the third. With 2:22 left in the fourth and tied at 13-13, A.J. Kuypers made a save and Henry Yavitt scored off the post for a 13-12 lead. Santa Clara tied the game, but Tanis drew a penalty leading to penalty shot. Fuller converted the penalty shot for a 14-13 lead with 1:55 left. Leading by a goal, Tanis drew another exclusion for new shot clock with 32 seconds remaining. Air Force ran the shot clock out, leaving the Broncos with just two seconds on the clock. With the ball at mid-pool, Fales scored just before time expired, sending the game into overtime.
Santa Clara scored once in the first overtime and early in the second for a 16-14 lead. Snyder scored with 1:10 left to cut the Bronco lead to 16-15. Jacob Yi then forced a turnover and Cole Kopperud scored to tie the game with 14 seconds left. The Broncos were called for an offensive foul on their final possession.
In sudden-death, Air Force had the first possession and a shot by Yi was saved. On the Broncos' possession, Blake D'Souza netted the game-winner at 1:36.
Following the conclusion of the tournament, won by the host school UC Davis, junior Grant Snyder earned all-tournament honors. Snyder had six goals in the two games, three in each contest, along with seven drawn exclusions, six steals and was 7-0 in sprints.
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Air Force concludes the 2021 season with an overall record of 17-9, the most wins under head coach Ryan Brown and the most since the 2012 team won 19.
Air Force had a 14-13 lead late in the fourth quarter, but the Broncos tied the game on Zach Fales' goal just before the buzzer sounded. Then in the second overtime, SCU had a 16-14 lead with 95 seconds left, but goals by Grant Snyder and Cole Kopperud forced the sudden-death period.
Senior Gavin Jones opened the scoring early in the first quarter, but Santa Clara scored the next two goals. Senior Jimbo Daugherty tied the game at 2-2 with a goal at 1:27 of the first. Sam De La Cruz scored a power play goal from Ian Christie with two seconds left in the first for a 3-2 Falcon lead. Christie scored 57 seconds into the second quarter for a 4-2 lead. Christie's second of the game and then a pair of goals from senior Sam Fuller gave the Falcons a 7-3 advantage with 3:39 left in the second. The seniors continued to score as Corey Tanis found the back of the net for an 8-4 lead. The Broncos scored late in the second quarter as the Falcons held an 8-5 lead at the intermission.
Goals by Daugherty and Christie gave the Falcons a 10-7 lead at 3:53 of the third quarter, but the Broncos rallied to tie the game 11-11 late in the third. With 2:22 left in the fourth and tied at 13-13, A.J. Kuypers made a save and Henry Yavitt scored off the post for a 13-12 lead. Santa Clara tied the game, but Tanis drew a penalty leading to penalty shot. Fuller converted the penalty shot for a 14-13 lead with 1:55 left. Leading by a goal, Tanis drew another exclusion for new shot clock with 32 seconds remaining. Air Force ran the shot clock out, leaving the Broncos with just two seconds on the clock. With the ball at mid-pool, Fales scored just before time expired, sending the game into overtime.
Santa Clara scored once in the first overtime and early in the second for a 16-14 lead. Snyder scored with 1:10 left to cut the Bronco lead to 16-15. Jacob Yi then forced a turnover and Cole Kopperud scored to tie the game with 14 seconds left. The Broncos were called for an offensive foul on their final possession.
In sudden-death, Air Force had the first possession and a shot by Yi was saved. On the Broncos' possession, Blake D'Souza netted the game-winner at 1:36.
Following the conclusion of the tournament, won by the host school UC Davis, junior Grant Snyder earned all-tournament honors. Snyder had six goals in the two games, three in each contest, along with seven drawn exclusions, six steals and was 7-0 in sprints.
--30--
Players Mentioned
AT
/ Men's Water Polo
C/D
/ Men's Water Polo
C/D
/ Men's Water Polo
AT
/ Men's Water Polo
C/D
/ Men's Water Polo
UT
/ Men's Water Polo
G
/ Men's Water Polo
UT
/ Men's Water Polo
C
/ Men's Water Polo
AT
/ Men's Water Polo
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