(Walnut, CA) The Mt. SAC Men's Water Polo team opened South Coast Conference action Wednesday (Sept. 22) and came away with a 14-6 victory over Rio Hondo College at the Marie T. Mills Aquatics Center.
Leading the way was freshman Kyle Kurtz with a game-high five goals. Adam Dow scored three goals, while Aidan Murphy and Trevor Ingersoll added two each.
Mt. SAC scored six goals in the first period, led by a pair of goals from Dow.
Rio scored two goals in the second period, while Mt. SAC could only manage one as the Roadrunners trailed, 7-5.
In four and a half minutes in the third period, the Mounties scored four consecutive goals and goalie Noah Stark (9 saves in the game) held Rio Hondo scoreless to open up an 11-5 lead.
Kurtz led the way in the third with three of his five goals.
"We were kind of shooting ourselves in the foot (in the first half)," Kurtz said. "It was a team thing we needed to work on.
"Coming back from the half it was a two-goal game and we knew we needed that first goal (in the third) and it kind of shifted the momentum back in our favor.
"Coming away with this win is definitely a confidence booster and just looking forward to the next game."
After Rio opened the fourth period with a goal to close within, 11-6, the Mounties reeled off the final three consecutive goals to put the game away.
Murphy, Kurtz, and Ivan Morales all scored in the period.
Mt. SAC will continue SCC action next Wednesday (Sept. 29) with another home game against Chaffey College.
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For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.