Fast Start Lifts No. 5 Peppredine Over No. 2 Cal
10/29/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
Oct. 29, 2005
MALIBU, Calif. - Fifth-ranked Pepperdine scored four goals in the first seven minutes of its contest against No. 2-ranked Cal Saturday afternoon and never let go of the lead as it defeated the Bears, 8-6, in Moutain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) water polo action.
Cal (16-4) opened the scoring at the 6:34 mark of the opening frame but Pepperdine (15-5) would answer with four-unanswered goals, two by Matt Digges and one from Grant Miller and Chris Harding-Brown. Despite being outscored 2-1 in the second stanza, the Waves held a 5-3 lead at the half.
The Bears would close the gap to one, 6-5, late in the third period but a score to open the fourth period pushed the lead back to two. With 2:57 remaining in the contest Cal was again within one at 7-6 but Jesse Smith made true on a four-meter shot at the 2:43 mark to preserve the victory.
Senior Ben Tait was solid in the net for Pepperdine turning back 14 shots. Miller ended the game with a game-high three goals, while Digges and Harding-Brown scored two each and Smith rounded out the Wave's goals.
Pepperdine will have its hands full again tomorrow afternoon when it takes on No. 3-ranked Stanford in Palo Alto, Calif. Gametime is scheduled for Noon.
