(Walnut, CA) In one of the more exciting home games of the season before a large crowd, the Mt. SAC Men's Water Polo Team defeated Chaffey College, 11-10, in two overtimes at the Marie T. Mills Aquatic Center.
With the win the Mounties improved to 15-4 overall and 3-1 in conference. They remain in third place behind Long Beach and Cerritos.
With a big crowd cheering on both teams with every goal, Mt. SAC scored a goal in the second overtime period to come away with the victory.
The Panthers took a 3-0 lead in the first period, but the Mounties countered with five consecutive goals and led 5-3 late in the second period. Lopez and attacker Eli Lew each scored twice in that 5-0 Mounties run.
Chaffey scored just before the half and trailed the Mounties, 5-4.
With Mt. SAC trailing 6-5 near the end of the third period, attacker Aidan O'Neill evened the game at 6-6 on an assist from Lopez.
"We had a meeting before the game and chose to fight it out and come together," O'Neill said. "We came back in this game and really showed coach that we can win games."
Each team scored three goals in the fourth for the 9-9 tie heading to OT. Brokaw scored two and attacker Justin Swafford added one.
"This game was very exciting to watch," Mt. SAC Men's Water Polo coach Marc Ruh said. "The good thing was that we ended up with a win. We're moving down the right road now.
"This game was good because it reflected our Salem (University) game (9-8 win), which was a one-goal game when we were down and came back and won it."
Center Noah Brokaw gave the Mounties a 10-9 lead with just three seconds left in the first of two OTs to lead 10-9.
"That goal gave us a real confidence boost that we needed to keep going," Brokaw said. "It felt good."
Brokaw, who led the team with three goals, took a pass from attacker Christian Lopez (2 G, 3 Assts.) and lobbed it over the Chaffey goalie.
"I know a couple of those guys on Chaffey and we both wanted to win," Lopez said. "It was just a good game and the intensity was there and good water polo on both ends for both teams."
Mt. SAC then extended the lead to 11-9 with just over a minute gone in the second three-minute OT on a power play goal from utility Jonathan Heredia (1 G, 2 A, 4 Steals), assisted by Lopez right in front of the goal.
Chaffey wouldn't go away as they came within a goal, 11-10 with just fifty eight seconds left. Prior to the goal, Mt. SAC goalie Jake Simmons made a steal but Chaffey got it back and scored.
"Today we really knew we had to come out strong," Simmons said. "The boys have a lot of trust in me and once I make a big save they get hyped up and swim down to the other end and I can make a good pass to them."
Chaffey again had the ball with twenty six seconds left in the game and called a timeout. But Heredia sealed the victory for the Mounties with a steal and they ran the clock out for the win.
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For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.