Saturday, March 6
Riverside, CA
2:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
9
at
11
WWPA Championship Game vs. CBU
Falcons fall to CBU in WWPA title game
3/6/2021 3:58:00 PM | Men's Water Polo
Snyder, Harris and Hires earn all-WWPA honors
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – California Baptist used a big second quarter to defeat Air Force, 11-9, in the Western Water Polo Association championship game, Saturday, March 6, at the Lancer Aquatics Center in Riverside, Calif. CBU advances to the NCAA Tournament. Air Force's season comes to an end with a 4-7 overall record. The Falcons played in the WWPA championship game for the first time since the 2012 season.
The teams traded goals in the first quarter with the Falcons holding a 3-2 lead on goals by Sam Fuller, Grant Snyder and Alex Hirjoi. CBU tied the game early in the second quarter and proceeded to outscore the Falcons, 4-1, for a 6-4 lead at the half.
After a CBU goal early in the third, the Falcons scored the next two to cut the Lancer lead to 7-6. Snyder scored on a skip shot with 5:44 left in the third. After an A.J. Kuypers save, Henry Yavitt cut the Lancer lead to one at 5:14. CBU scored the next three goals, two by their leading scorer PJ McDonough, for a 10-6 lead after three quarters.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Lancers killed an Air Force power play and then scored on one of their own for an 11-6 lead just 40 seconds into the fourth quarter. Air Force rallied with the next three goals, but ran out of time. Jason Hires scored twice and Snyder netted his third of the game with 55 seconds left.
At the conclusion of the tournament, Snyder, Hires and Campbell Harris were all named to the all-WWPA team. Snyder led the Falcons this season with 33 goals and 50 points and was among the national leaders in both categories. He led the league in points and sprint victories (31) and was second in the WWPA in goals. Harris was second on the team and sixth in the league with 24 goals. Hires ranked third in the league in field blocks (5) and fourth in steals (13) while posting 12 points (7-5-12).
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The teams traded goals in the first quarter with the Falcons holding a 3-2 lead on goals by Sam Fuller, Grant Snyder and Alex Hirjoi. CBU tied the game early in the second quarter and proceeded to outscore the Falcons, 4-1, for a 6-4 lead at the half.
After a CBU goal early in the third, the Falcons scored the next two to cut the Lancer lead to 7-6. Snyder scored on a skip shot with 5:44 left in the third. After an A.J. Kuypers save, Henry Yavitt cut the Lancer lead to one at 5:14. CBU scored the next three goals, two by their leading scorer PJ McDonough, for a 10-6 lead after three quarters.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Lancers killed an Air Force power play and then scored on one of their own for an 11-6 lead just 40 seconds into the fourth quarter. Air Force rallied with the next three goals, but ran out of time. Jason Hires scored twice and Snyder netted his third of the game with 55 seconds left.
At the conclusion of the tournament, Snyder, Hires and Campbell Harris were all named to the all-WWPA team. Snyder led the Falcons this season with 33 goals and 50 points and was among the national leaders in both categories. He led the league in points and sprint victories (31) and was second in the WWPA in goals. Harris was second on the team and sixth in the league with 24 goals. Hires ranked third in the league in field blocks (5) and fourth in steals (13) while posting 12 points (7-5-12).
--30--
Players Mentioned
AT
/ Men's Water Polo
C
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C/D
/ Men's Water Polo
UT
/ Men's Water Polo
G
/ Men's Water Polo
UT
/ Men's Water Polo
AT
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