Air Force Splits Matches at Titan Invite

Air Force men's water polo split its two games in opening day action at the Cal State Fullerton Titan Invitational on Friday at the Fullerton Aquatics Center in Fullerton, Calif. The Falcons defeated Chapman, 20-17, in its opener, before falling to #18 Brown, 18-15, to drop to 11-2 and snap a seven game win streak.

In the opener against Chapman, a big second quarter allowed the Falcons to hold off a second-half surge by the Panthers. After the teams traded three goals each in the first, the Air Force had an 8-3 scoring advantage in the second to go up 11-6 at the half.

Chapman held a 7-5 scoring lead in the third to make it a 16-13 game after three. Air Force matched Chapman 4-4 in goals in the fourth to hold on to the win.

Junior Jack Richards erupted for a career-high eights point to lead the Falcons, scoring four goals and four assists. Junior Jonah Vander Veen added six assists. Sophomore Brady Kopperud had a hat trick with three goals and an assist for four points. Junior Tom Leggett chipped-in with two goals and two assists.

Senior Luca Smith notched six saves in goal for the win. Sophomore Jay Pyle relieved Smith in the second half, also notching six saves.

In the second game, Brown pulled away late in a close back-and-forth game. After playing to a 4-4 tie after the first quarter, Brown took a 9-7 halftime lead with a 5-3 scoring advantage in the second.

The Falcons made it a one-score game in the third with a 4-3 scoring advantage, pulling up to a 12-11 deficit. The Falcons managed to tie it up 11-11 on a goal by freshman Max Ellis.

Brown then scored three consecutive goals to go up three at 14-11. The Falcons got no closer than to within two goals the rest of the way out.

Leggett led the Falcons with six points on four goals and two assists. Vander Veen followed with four points on two goals and two assists. Richards, Kopperud and junior Owen Imasaki added three points each. Imasaki had two goals and an assist and Richards and Kopperud had one goal and two assists.

Smith went the distance in goal, recording 12 saves.

Air Force returns to day two action of the Titan Invite tomorrow, taking on Concordia-Irvine.

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Team Stats

Tom Leggett

Jonah Vander Veen

Owen Imasaki

Colin Chase

Players Mentioned

Max Ellis

Owen Imasaki

Brady Kopperud

Tom Leggett

Jay Pyle

Jack Richards

Luca Smith

Jonah Vander Veen

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