Santa Clara, CA – The Wagner men's water polo team opened the Santa Clara Rodeo with two losses to No. 20 Santa Clara University and No. 9 University of California Davis.
Wagner 7 Santa Clara 14
The Seahawks were defeated 14-7 by host team, Santa Clara University in their first contest of the Santa Clara Rodeo.
The Broncos scored three unanswered goals in the first quarter to take an early 3-0 lead. Wagner wouldn't score until the second stanza when freshman driver
Oscar Nomura (Irvine, CA/Irvine) drilled one into the back of the net on a man-up opportunity. Junior utility
Ciaran Wolohan (Manly, Australia/St. Aloysius College/Golden West College) netted three markers to Graham McClone's two to bring the Seahawks within one midway through the second quarter.
Trailing by a county of 5-4, the Broncos registered two tallies on penalty shots to extend their lead to three. However, Nomura scored once more before the end of the half as the Green & White entered intermission behind 7-5.
Freshman driver
Matthew Miller (San Ramon, CA/California High) opened up the third quarter with his first goal of the day to decrease the Seahawks' deficit to one, but the Broncos countered with a 6-0 run to open up a 13-6 lead.
Both teams would tally one more marker in the final stanza as the Seahawks fell 14-7 to No. 20 Santa Clara University. Wagner's lone goal came from freshman driver
Tanner Kaplan (Trabuco Canyon, CA/Santa Margarita Catholic) who registered his first collegiate goal.
Wagner 7 UC Davis 14
The Wagner men's water polo team fell 18-5 to No. 9 University of California Davis to conclude its first day of the Santa Clara Rodeo.
The Aggies held the Green & White scoreless in the first half as they led 10-0 entering intermission.
Freshman driver
Matthew Miller led the Seahawks offensively with three goals in the second half. After UC Davis scored their twelfth marker of the game, Miller fired an unassisted goal into the back of the net to put the Green & White on the board.
Freshman driver
Aaron Leighton (Lake Forest, CA/El Toro) and sophomore driver
James Grady (Boca Raton, FL/Boca Raton) added back-to-back tallies in the final minutes of the third quarter to give the Seahawks their second and third goals.
Reigning Mid Atlantic Water Polo Rookie of the Week Honor Roll Member, Miller tallied two more strikes in the final stanza as Wagner fell 18-5 to No. 9 UC Davis.
Wagner returns to the Sullivan Aquatic Center tomorrow at 12:00 pm PST/3:00 pm EST for a matchup with No. 20 Loyola Marymount. They will then face Fresno Pacific at 4:00 pm PST/7:00 pm EST before returning to the East Coast.
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