REDLANDS, Calif. — The Fresno Pacific men's water polo team traveled to the Inland Empire Classic, hosted by the University of Redlands, where they faced two nationally ranked opponents. The Sunbirds went 0-2 on the opening day of the tournament, taking on both Redlands and UC Santa Barbara.

GAME 1 | NO. 4 University of Redlands

Redlands started strong against Fresno Pacific, but senior returner Christian Clark jumped on a golden opportunity to capture the first FPU goal of the tournament. A fight was lit under the Sunbirds in the initial race to secure the lead. The Sunbirds closed the gap 2-3 by the end of the first period thanks to a goal by Luke Young assisted by Samuel Ramos.

The third period saw Redlands pull away with additional goals, bringing the score to 10-5. Forrest Gray led the Sunbirds in assists and added one goal on seven shots, showcasing his playmaking abilities. Tristin Fox scored once on four attempts and drew two exclusions, contributing to the team's offensive efforts. Strong scoring performances from Jordan Lambert and Chris Sandino withstood the Bulldogs' offensive onslaught.

Redlands maintained control in the final period, scoring four more times to secure a decisive 14-6 victory, outshooting the Sunbirds 30-19.

In the cage, goalkeeper Chase Hammes recorded five saves and collected three steals overall.
 
GAME 2 | NO. 18 UC Santa Barbara

Fresno Pacific initiated the scoring against UC Santa Barbara with a goal by sophomore utility Tristin Fox in the first period. The Gauchos quickly responded with a 6-1 run to take the lead.

In the second period, the Gauchos extended the lead with back-to-back goals, making it 9-2 before debuting freshman Jimmy Johnston scored for the Sunbirds. This marks the first goal of the season for Johnston. Forrest Gray led the Sunbirds with four goals on six shots. Joey Brocar and Tristin Fox added to the scoring with one goal each to ramp up the Sunbirds' momentum.

In goal, Chase Hammes recorded 11 saves to help anchor the defense, but ultimately, the Sunbirds were overrun by the nationally ranked team.

The final period saw UCSB continue their dominance, securing a 27-7 win. The Gauchos outshot the Sunbirds 40-22 and converted on two power plays, matching Fresno's two power-play goals.

NEXT UP: The men's water polo team competes in day two of the Inland Empire Classic at the Axelrood Pool in Claremont, California. The Blue and Orange will face off against Iona at 11:40 am and Pomona-Pitzer at 3:40 pm on Saturday afternoon.

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