COLORADO SPRINGS – California Baptist University spoiled Air Force's Senior Day, overcoming a three-goal deficit to defeat the Falcons 12-10 in overtime on Saturday.
The 19
th-ranked Lancers outscored Air Force 3-1 in overtime, including 2-0 over the final three-minute session of the Western Water Polo Association game.
Joseph Galgani and
Logan Mena each netted hat tricks for CBU, while Galgani added an assist, three steals and a drawn ejection.
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Gabe Thorne did well to hold the Falcons to just 10 goals in 36 minutes, with 17 saves for a save percentage of 63 (17-for-27) and five steals in the cage. True freshman
Joseph Griffin also scored two big goals in the quarter and overtime.
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Zach Lowery put together an all-around game, with two goals, two assists and four steals.
Kyle Christian added two assists and a goal, while
Kyle Johnson also had two assists.
It all helped the Lancers improve to 13-14, 3-3 in the WWPA, while Air Force dropped to 9-15, 0-5.
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CBU fell into a quick 4-1 hole in the first four minutes playing at an altitude of 7,200-plus feet in the Cadet Natatorium. The Lancers went on a 6-1 run from there to take a 7-5 lead with 3:37 left in the third quarter.
Mena got the ball rolling by scoring three-straight goals for CBU in less than six minutes to cut the Lancers' deficit down to 5-4 two minutes into the second quarter.
Nick Johnson, Lowery and Christian rattled off one goal after another to put the Lancers on a 4-0 run that gave them their first two-goal lead.
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Air Force managed to fight all the back and force overtime with 1:12 left in regulation, despite goals from Griffin and Galgani in the final 4:30 of the fourth quarter.
Lowery got CBU started overtime with a goal 38 seconds in to give the Lancers a 10-9 edge. The Falcons tied the game again with a minute left in the first overtime period. Galgani and Griffin then scored the go-ahead and insurance goals within 40 seconds of each other to secure the win.
Galgani now has 21-straight games with a point, has had a goal and an assist in the last 11 games and extended on his scoring streak to 12 contests.
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Box Score
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