MALIBU, CA--- The California Baptist men's water polo team headed west on Sunday afternoon to face #9 Pepperdine to continue West Coast Conference play. It was a competitive match between two top WCC squads that ultimately saw the Waves pull away with a 17-16 win that came down to the final minutes. The Lancers fall to 3-1 in conference play and 19-10 on the season.
The Lancers and Waves went toe-to-toe in the first frame, trading points and knotting the game at five. The second quarter saw more back-and-forth from the squads as Logan Puhl tied the game just before halftime with his fifth goal. Pepperdine's defense showed out during the third quarter and limited the Lancers to just two goals, giving the home squad time to extend their lead by four heading into the game's final frame.
California Baptist bested the Waves offensively in the final quarter, scoring five goals to come back from a four-goal deficit and put themselves within two to tie the game. Bodhi Bowden forced a five-meter penalty in the final minutes and scored for his third of the game, cutting the Wave's deficit to one. Solid defense from the home squad secured the 17-16 victory, handing Pepperdine their fourth WCC win this season to help maintain their perfect record.
Puhl showed out against the Waves on Sunday and posted six goals for the Lancers while snagging three assists. Bowden picked up a hat trick in Malibu, and Alex Righetti came away with a brace. California Baptist will now turn its attention to its final game on Sunday, November 10th, against Pacific at 1 p.m. in the CBU Aquatics Center.
