CLAREMONT, Calif. – The Fresno Pacific men's water polo team (0-9, 0-2 WWPA) kept the road trip going on Friday with its first two contests in the Gary Troyer Invitational. Game one was against Westcliff (13-9) that resulted in an 18-13 loss before taking on Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (5-9) and falling 15-10.
 
Against Westcliff, the Warriors jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead before Forrest Gray scored to cut the lead to 2-1.
 
After a 4-0 run by Westcliff to close out the first period, Thilo Popp and William Green were able to net back-to-back goals to make it 6-3, but a 3-0 run to close out the second quarter put the Warriors up 9-3 at the break.
 
The second half, and especially the fourth period, were strong for the Sunbirds, outscoring Westcliff 10-9.
 
Four of the goals came in the third period thanks to Green, Jacob Renevier, Eugenio Maldonado and Blake Johnson to make it 15-7 heading into the final eight minutes.
 
The Sunbirds were able to make a run in the final quarter, outscoring the Warriors 6-3, but it was too little, too late.
 
Green was able to add his third and fourth goals of the game in the final quarter, with Maldonado, Renevier, Pietro Cattano and Lucas Wilkinson adding to the tally.
 
In the second game of the day, the Stags were able to open the contest with three goals before Maldonado scored. That was followed by another CMS goal to make it 4-1, but a second goal from Maldonado and another from Thilo Popp with just over a minute to go cut the lead to just one heading into the second quarter.
 
The Stags added two quick ones to open the second period, but Gray and Cattano were able to answer to keep it a one-point game. CMS, though, took advantage of two more goals to take an 8-5 lead into the break.
 
It was all CMS to open the second half, scoring five goals in the third period before Gray was able to score his second of the game with 1:31 to go in the quarter.
 
Popp was able to add two goals to open the final period, but two goals from CMS put the game out of reach before Gray scored his third of the game with 34 seconds to go.
 
The Sunbirds will continue their time in the Gary Troyer Invite on Saturday. Their first game is scheduled for 9 a.m. against Chapman University, followed by a meeting with Long Beach State at 2:20 p.m. Both games will take place at the Haldeman Pool in Pomona, Calif.
 
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