Air Force Opens Rare Air Challenge With A Pair of Wins

USAF ACADEMY, Colo. - Air Force men's water polo opened the 2025 season with a pair of wins in day one action as the host of the 2025 Rare Air Challenge on Friday at the Cadet Natatorium. The Falcons defeated Redlands 18-13 and Mount St. Mary's 24-14.

Junior Tom Leggett led the way for the Falcons with 14 total goals and 18 points on the day, including a career-high 10 goals and 13 points vs. Mount St. Mary's.

In the season-opener against the top-ranked Div. III program in the nation in Redlands, the Falcons overcame a sluggish start to pull out the win.

The started with both teams struggling to get a score with the score knotted at 1-1 four minutes into the game. Redlands got hot at the end of the first quarter, scoring three-straight goals to pull ahead 4-1.

Air Force struggled in its power play game, going 0-for-5 to start the game and just 1-for-9 in the first half.

The Falcons got going in the second quarter, scoring four straight goals to come back from a 5-2 deficit and take a 6-5 lead. Redlands tied the match up with a goal to make it 6-6 at the half.

The Air Force offense started firing on all cylinders in the third quarter, erupting for a 9-2 scoring advantage to go ahead 15-8. The Falcons tacked on three more goals in the fourth quarter.

Senior Jake Dixon, sophomore Brady Kopperud and junior Tom Leggett led the Falcons with five points each. Kopperud netted a new career-high for points and his four goals tied a career-high. Dixon scored two goals and added three assists. Leggett led the Falcons with four goals.

Junior Jack Richards and senior Jackson Carter added two goals and an assist each.

Senior Luca Smith tallied three saves and four steals in three quarter in front of the net. Jay Pyle racked up a pair of saves and one steal in the fourth.

Freshman Olin Kusevskis notched his first-career goal in his collegiate debut. All seven freshmen got in the game to make their collegiate debuts. Blake Fuchslin added an assist and Matt Oravetz, Aidan Forehand, Shane Borunda, Derek Hymer and Max Ellis all saw action.

In the Mount St. Mary's game, the Falcons started and finished strong in the 24-14 win. Air Force took advantage of several penalty shot opportunities to build an early lead. Air Force went 5-for-5 on penalty shots in the first quarter to lead 7-3.

The Falcons added five goals in the second quarter to lead 12-6. Mount St. Mary's scored eight goals in the third to pull to within four at 18-14. But Air Force closed out with a 6-0 fourth quarter to pull away.

Leggett, who surpassed his previous high of nine goals and 10 points, scored five goals--three off penalty shots--in the first five minutes of play.

Sophomore Dante Nocetti scored four goals and five points in the game. Richards notched a hat trick with three goals.

Smith had seven saves in goal for the win. Pyle played the second half, recording five saves.

Air Force returns to action tomorrow in day two of the Rare Air Challenge. The Falcons host Salem and #3 Cal.

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