Wild Comeback Leads CBU Past Concordia

Friday, November 8

Irvine, Calif.

1:30 PM

California Baptist University

Concordia

Photo by: Andrew Shortall

Wild Comeback Leads CBU Past Concordia

11/8/2019 4:45:00 PM | Men's Water Polo

By: Andrew Shortall, Director of Athletics Communications

IRVINE – A dominant fourth quarter led 16^th-ranked California Baptist University to a 13-11 Western Water Polo Association win over Concordia on Friday afternoon at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center.

The Eagles opened the game on a 4-0 run and led 9-6 with eight-and-a-half minutes remaining, but the Lancers chipped away at the deficit little by little and ended the contest on a 7-2 run to secure the victory. The win locked up the fourth seed for CBU at the 2019 WWPA Championships, while Concordia will go in as the fifth seed.

CBU and Concordia will face off again in just two weeks in the first round of the WWPA Championships at the Lancer Aquatics Center on Nov. 22. The Lancers are hosting the conference tournament for the first time in program history.

❗️ LANCERS WIN ❗️

CBU ends the game on a 7⃣➖2⃣ run to defeat Concordia 13-11 and secure the fourth seed for the 2019 @TheWWPA Championships.

Hunter Barnett and Joseph Galgani both had 🎩 tricks, while Riley Bumgardner and Zach Lowery each had 2⃣ goals.#LanceUp⚔ pic.twitter.com/I3weCrXdkt
— CBU Men's Water Polo (@LancerWaterPolo) November 8, 2019

The Lancers end the conference campaign with a 14-14, 4-3 in WWPA record, while the Eagles drop to 9-15, 3-4. Concordia is receiving a vote in the NCAA rankings this week.

Offensively, CBU was balanced as seven players scored and four logged multiple goals. Hunter Barnett and Joseph Galgani led the way with hat tricks, while Galgani added an assist and drew two ejections. Barnett also had two steals.

Zach Lowery had a team-high five points on three assists and two steals and Riley Bumgardner added two goals and an assist. Christian Britton also finished with three assists.

Logan Mena scored a goal, had a steal and created a ton of man opportunities for CBU, with a career-high eight drawn ejections including three penalties. PJ McDonough also had two assists, two steals and a goal, while true freshman Angel Sanchez chipped in four steals.

Galgani extended his point and goal streaks to 22 and 13 games, respectively. He's also had a goal and an assist in the last 12 games.

Concordia scored the first four goals of the game, but the Lancers never panicked and slowly began cutting into the deficit. The Lancers opened the third quarter on a 3-0 run, thanks to two goals from Lowery and Barnett's second, to tie the game 6-6 with 13 minutes left in regulation.

After trailing by as many 4⃣, CBU battles back to tie the game 6⃣➖6⃣ three minutes into the third quarter.

Zach Lowery scored twice in the second quarter, while Hunter Barnett added his second of the game, as well, to tie it.#LanceUp⚔ pic.twitter.com/P7phL0I3FC
— CBU Men's Water Polo (@LancerWaterPolo) November 8, 2019

The Eagles scored the next three goals, though, to take a 9-6 lead with 8:23 to play. Galgani started the comeback and a 6-0 run with a goal off a Lowery assist with 10 seconds left in the third quarter.

Galgani scored again two minutes into the fourth and that opened the floodgates, as CBU scored three goals in 76 seconds. Nick Johnson and McDonough added to the run and gave the Lancers a 10-9 lead with 4:42 to play.

Goals from Bumgardner and Mena with 3:54 and 2:30 remaining gave the Lancers the insurance they needed to ensure the victory.

CBU takes its first lead of the game with 4:42 left in regulation!

Christian Britton assists on back-to-back goals from PJ McDonough and Nick Johnson.#LanceUp⚔ pic.twitter.com/VSkiNr6Pd3
— CBU Men's Water Polo (@LancerWaterPolo) November 8, 2019

CBU closes out its regular season with their Senior Day game against Redlands on Saturday at 6 p.m. Five seniors: Kyle Christian, Kyle Johnson, Matt Diacono, Mena and Britton will be honored prior to their final regular-season home game. The Lancers will then host the 2019 WWPA Championships Nov. 22-24.

Box Score