Nov. 22, 2009
ORANGE, Calif. - Juniors Cory Lyle, Matt Richardson and Carlos Martinez each tallied three goals to help No. 15 UC Davis overcome a 6-5 halftime deficit to claim a 10-8 win over 14th-ranked and second-seeded Air Force in the Western Water Polo Association fifth-place game at Chapman University's Allred Aquatics Center Sunday morning.
The Aggies, seeded fifth in the tournament, finish the year at 15-16.
Bobby Geiger and Alex Churnside each had three goals to lead the Falcons, who opened on a 3-1 start during the first five minutes of play. Churnside had two of the goals in that stretch, then completed his hat trick at the 2:40 mark in the second to push Air Force to a 6-4 lead.
UC Davis senior Jim Breen hit the equalizer in the first minute of play after the halftime berak, then Richardson converted a 6-on-5 play to give the Aggies the lead. Richardson struck again on the next possession to boost the UC Davis margin to 8-6, then Lyle and Martinez tacked on goals late in the frame to complete a five-goal third. The Aggies went to the final frame with a 10-6 lead.
Falcon freshman Cruz Smithson tacked on two extra-man goals in the fourth to close the gap to the final tally of 10-8. Air Force had five 6-on-5 opportunities in that quarter, converting those two.
Sunday's game represented the career finale for UC Davis seniors Breen, Dave Cooper and Brendan Sigourney.
2009 WWPA CHAMPIONSHIP - FIFTH-PLACE GAME
Allred Aquatics Center, Chapman University
| #15 UC Davis | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | - | 10 |
| #14 Air Force | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | - | 8 |
GOALS - UC Davis: Cory Lyle 3, Matt Richardson 3, Carlos Martinez 3, Jim Breen 1. AFA: Alex Churnside 3, Bobby Geiger 3, Cruz Smithson 2.
