Nov. 20, 2009

ORANGE, Calif. - Senior Liam Farrell and junior Nicholas Poggetti each scored three goals to help fourth seed and 13th-ranked Santa Clara pull away to an 8-6 win over fifth-seeded and 15th-ranked UC Davis in the first round of the Western Water Polo Association men's championship at Chapman University's Allred Aquatics Center Friday afternoon.

The Aggies, who fall to 13-16 for the year, will move to the consolation half of the tournament bracket and play for fifth through eighth place in the conference. The Broncos, now 21-11 overall, advances to the semifinals.

Junior Cory Lyle led UC Davis with three goals, while freshman Jared Clapham, sophomore Ryan Hagens and senior Jim Breen each added one. Sophomore goalkeeper Kevin Peat was credited with five saves, all in the second quarter.

The Aggies drew first blood in the contest when Clapham converted an extra-man opportunity with 2:27 remaining in the first half. Santa Clara's Jack Wall equalized the score on the next possession with a successful five-meter penalty shot. In fact, the first five goals of the game came as the result of either exclusions or five-meter fouls. Lyle scored on a penalty shot early in the second period, then SCU's James Case and UC Davis' Hagens traded 6-on-5 goals later in the frame to bring the tally to a 3-2 Aggie advantage.

The two teams went to the halftime break in a 3-3 deadlock, then traded goals in the opening minute of the third period. However, Farrell's extra-man goal with 5:49 in the third period began a run of four unanswered goals over the next nine minutes. UC Davis did not manage a goal until Lyle hit two in the final minute of the contest.

The Aggies will face the host Panthers at 11:45 a.m. on Saturday.

2009 WWPA CHAMPIONSHIP - FIRST ROUND
Allred Aquatic Center • Chapman University

GOALS - UC Davis: Cory Lyle 3, Jared Clapham 1, Ryan Hagens 1, Jim Breen 1. SCU: Nicholas Poggetti 3, Liam Farrell 3, Jack Wall 1, James Case 1.