California Baptist University
Concordia
STRAIGHT DOMINANCE
9/3/2008 7:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
RIVERSIDE, Calif. ? California Baptist picked up in 2008 where they left off in 2007 with a 10-7 beating of Concordia. Aaron Steiger broke in the 2008 season with a hat trick and an assist and continued to rack up career steals with four.
A lot was left to answer for the Lancers after losing its top scorer and defender from a year ago, but CBU head coach Rick Rowland found answers in its strong returning core and turned to a couple of young guns for some needed goals.
“We just came out fired up and that had a lot to do with one of the largest crowds we've ever had,” said Rowland. “They were great for our momentum during the game. We played great front court defense in the first half and we really transitioned well. We let up a little in the third and fourth quarters and Concordia came up with some timely steals. We just hung on and finished strong.”
Chris Morgan scored a pair of goals while Jason Bills, Jeff Woolstenhulme and Alan Ogden all scored solo goals. A pair of freshman notched their first career goals as Chris Toy and Peter Hines each found the back of the net.
“We played 13 different field players,” said Rowland. “That's how deep this team is this year. I can't say that has happened too much in the past in a close game to get that many people in the water.”
Zach Bowman came up with a big save just about every time the Lancers needed a stop. The junior keeper finished the day with five saves and came out of the cage often and nabbed four steals.
“Zach played a heck of a game in cage,” said Rowland. “He was very aggressive today and just came up with timely saves and steals.”
It only took the Lancers 48 seconds to net the first goal when Steiger scored on a 6-on-5 opportunity, but Concordia's Duje Grubisic answered with two of his five goals on consecutive chances. It was Steiger again who answered late in the first to knot it at 2-2. Morgan then gave CBU the lead again with 16 seconds left in the opening period.
The Lancers opened the second period with three straight goals from Morgan, Hines and Ogden before Grubisic stopped the run to cut the Eagle's deficit to 6-3. Toy gave the Lancers a four goal lead when he launched one from the right side to put CBU up 7-3 at the half.
Bills opened the second half with his first goal of the season when he converted on a 6-on-5 and Steiger scored his third goal of the game on a five-meter penalty shot to cap off an 8-1 run that started back in the first.
The Lancers then watched Concordia claw their way back into the game with four straight goals including their final one by Brad Fuller to make it 9-7 with 6:17 left in the fourth.
Woolstenhulme put the game away with 1:37 left with his first goal of the season to help give the Lancers their fifth straight win over Concordia.
The Lancers were 4-of-8 on 6-on-5 opportunities nailing three of their first four.
CBU will now head out to San Diego for the Triton Invitational at UCSD and will open with No. 8 Loyola Marymount at 12:30 p.m.
