CLU Kingsmen Water Polo News

Trio Earns All-SCIAC Team Honors

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:00:00 PST

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Brandon Gross, Carter Baldwin and Danny Mock of the Cal Lutheran men's water polo team were named to the 2011 All-Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Team earlier this month.

Official Release: All-SCIAC Team

Gross, a four-year senior utility player, becomes only the second player in program history to earn All-SCIAC First Team honors three times, doing so from 2009-11. Matt Heagy was the first earning three straight first team selections from 2006-08.

Gross finished his senior campaign with a team-high 77 goals and 33 drawn exclusions. He leaves as the program's second leading scorer with 199 goals, and ranks in the top-eight in assists, steals and drawn exclusions.

Baldwin, a junior two-meter player, earns his first conference honor after leading the team with 53 steals. He did it all for the Kingsmen contributing 21 goals, 26 assists and 24 drawn exclusions in 2011.

Mock, a junior goaltender, became the team's primary starting keeper early on in the season. He led the conference's best scoring defense which allowed only 68 goals in 10 games. Mock made 189 saves in 20 starts and held the opposition to just over eight goals per game on the season.

CMS senior Brian Chong was named the SCIAC Player of the Year. Pomona-Pitzer freshman Stephen Vent was named SCIAC Newcomer of the Year.

Cal Lutheran finished the season with a program record 15 wins. The Kingsmen finished 6-4 in conference play and fourth in the SCIAC standings.

Kingsmen Finish Fourth at SCIAC Championships

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 15:30:00 PST

LA VERNE, Calif. - The final quarter of Sunday's third place game proved the difference in a 9-7 loss to Redlands. Cal Lutheran men's water polo finished fourth in both the SCIAC Championship Tournament and the final conference standings.

Website: Men's Water Polo SCIAC Championships

The Kingsmen and Bulldogs were tied 1-1, 4-4 and 6-6 at the end of the first three quarters respectively. Redlands outscored Cal Lutheran 3-1 in the fourth to provide the final margin.

Senior Brandon Gross led the CLU offense with three goals in the final contest of his collegiate career. He finishes with 199 career goals ranking second best in program history.

Carter Baldwin added two goals and drew three of the team's six earned exclusions. Max Zappas contributed a pair of drawn ejections and scored once against the Bulldogs.

CLU goalkeeper Danny Mock made 10 saves and finished the year with 189 stops. The mark ranks fourth in single-season program history.

Cal Lutheran finishes its season 15-11, 6-4 SCIAC and in fourth place for both the final conference standings and the SCIAC Championship Tournament. The team's 15 wins this season is a new program record improving upon the original mark of 14 victories back in 2008.

Pomona-Pitzer defeated Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in the SCIAC Championship title game 7-4 and also earned the overall conference crown.

Cal Lutheran Wraps up SCIAC Championships on Sunday

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 17:00:00 PST

LA VERNE, Calif. - The hopes of earning the program's first-ever conference title were put on hold for another season. Cal Lutheran suffered an 11-8 loss on Saturday afternoon to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at the SCIAC Men's Water Polo Championships hosted by La Verne.

Box Score: CMS 11, CLU 8 - F

CLU will face Redlands in the tournament's third place game at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 13. CMS will battle Pomona-Pitzer in the title game at 3:15 p.m. The winner of Sunday's finale will also earn the SCIAC title for the 2011 season.

Cal Lutheran trailed 5-4 at halftime but pulled even midway through the third quarter after Jordan Meaney scored one of his team-high four goals. CMS converted three straight power plays and a penalty shot to turn a 6-6 tied into a three-goal lead early in the fourth quarter.

Kyle Norheim, Nathan Ortega, Brandon Gross and Alex Hacker each scored once in the loss. Kingsmen net minder Danny Mock made seven saves against the Stags.

For the first time this season the Cal Lutheran defense allowed a SCIAC opponent in a conference contest to score in double figures. Vincent Schiavoni led Claremont-Mudd-Scripps with four goals.

Cal Lutheran defeated Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in their regular season meeting back on Oct. 29. Carter Baldwin and Dejan Novakovic combined for five goals in that victory, but were shut out in Saturday's defeat.

The Kingsmen can equal their best finish and highest SCIAC single season win total with a Sunday victory over the Bulldogs. Redlands earned a 9-7 win over Cal Lutheran in their previous meeting back on Oct. 15.

Kingsmen Advance to SCIAC Tournament Semifinal

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:00:00 PST

LA VERNE, Calif. - Cal Lutheran was victorious in its first round match at the SCIAC Championships earning an 11-7 win over host La Verne on Friday afternoon. The Kingsmen will face top seed Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at 3:15 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12.

Following a 1-1 first quarter the Cal Lutheran offense scored five times in the second. The Kingsmen built up a 6-4 lead heading into the half.

After an even third frame the SCIAC's best scoring defense was on display in the fourth quarter holding the Leopards scoreless over the final eight minutes. Cal Lutheran goalkeeper Danny Mock made eight saves in the win.

Brandon Gross led Cal Lutheran with three goals. Kyle Norheim and Dejan Novakovic each scored a pair in the victory.

Cal Lutheran defeated Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in their regular season meeting back on Oct. 29. A repeat effort by the Kingsmen would put them in the conference tournament finals and a chance at the program's first-ever SCIAC title on Sunday.

Cal Lutheran Begins Quest for SCIAC Title

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:00:00 PST

LA VERNE, Calif. - Cal Lutheran men's water polo will compete in the three-day SCIAC Championship Tournament starting on Friday, Nov. 11, at the University of La Verne. The Kingsmen will open up the event against the host Leopards at 3:15 p.m.

Website: SCIAC Championships

All eight teams will compete in one game each day starting on Friday. Game times and opponents will be determined as results of each contest are completed.

All three days will begin at 10 a.m. with contests beginning on 1 hour, 45 minute intervals. Cal Lutheran will play at 3:15 p.m. on Saturday with a Friday victory, or 11:45 a.m. with a Friday loss.

The overall conference champion is based upon a two part scoring system. Each regular season victory counts for one point towards the overall standings. A predetermined scoring system is used for each team's finish at the SCIAC Championships.

This scenario leaves Cal Lutheran three wins away from the first conference title in program history. Any of the top four teams are in serious contention for a conference title.

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Pomona-Pitzer are tied atop the conference standings with 6-1 records. The Stags earn the top seed after defeating the Sagehens during their head-to-head meeting.

The same story goes for Redlands and Cal Lutheran. Both teams finished the regular season with 5-2 marks but the Bulldogs defeated the Kingsmen in their head-to-head meeting in the SCIAC opener.

A three-way tie for the fifth seed includes La Verne, Whittier and Occidental as each finished with identical 2-5 marks. Goal differential in their head-to-head meetings between the three squads with the host Leopards (+7) leading the way, followed by Whittier (0), and Occidental (-7) to determine tournament seedings.

Cal Lutheran has defeated La Verne in each of its three meetings this season. The Kingsmen defeated the Leopards 13-2 in their previous matchup during the SCIAC regular season back on Oct. 22.

Win Streak Snapped by Sagehens

Sat, 05 Nov 2011 15:00:00 PST

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Cal Lutheran men's water polo came up short in its bid for the top seed heading into next weekend's SCIAC Championships. The Kingsmen suffered an 8-2 road loss to Pomona-Pitzer on Saturday to conclude its regular season schedule.

Cal Lutheran was held scoreless for almost the entire first half until Brandon Gross converted a five-meter penalty shot in the final minute of the second quarter. In the meantime Pomona-Pitzer scored a pair of goals in each of the first two frames to build a 4-1 halftime advantage.

Jason Cox scored a pair of first half goals for the home squad. Teammates Cody Moore and Dylan O'Connell each scored their second of the game late in the third quarter putting the Sagehens out in front by a 7-1 margin.

Nathan Ortega added a late fourth quarter score for the other CLU goal. Max Zappas led the Kingsmen with three drawn exclusions.

Cal Lutheran goalkeeper Danny Mock made seven saves in the loss. Pomona-Pitzer goaltender Kyle Pokorny stopped 12 Kingsmen shots in the win.

Cal Lutheran (14-9, 5-2 SCIAC) fell from a tie for first into a tie for third place in the regular season conference standings. Redlands will earn the No. 3 seed courtesy of its head-to-head victory over the Kingsmen back on Oct. 15.

The Kingsmen will face tournament host and No. 5 seed La Verne on Friday, Nov. 11, in the opening round of the SCIAC Championships.

Winning Ways Keep Kingsmen Atop SCIAC Standings

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 22:00:00 PST

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Another strong defensive effort by the Cal Lutheran men's water polo team netted a 10-6 road win over Occidental on Wednesday afternoon. The victory keeps the Kingsmen in a multiple team deadlock atop the conference standings.

Cal Lutheran extended its conference win streak to five following its fourth straight win over Occidental in the all-time series. A shutout first quarter by the Kingsmen defense helped the visiting side lead from start to finish.

The Kingsmen led 6-2 at halftime before the Tigers pulled to within two at the end of three quarters. A fourth quarter surge featuring three fourth quarter scores helped the Kingsmen pull away in the final minutes of regulation.

Dejan Novakovic led the Cal Lutheran offense with three goals. Max Zappas scored twice and drew four exclusions while teammate Jordan Meaney added two goals and snatched four steals of his own.

CLU goaltender Danny Mock made eight stops while holding OXY to its conference-low of six goals. His efforts in the cage have played a major role in the team's league leading 33 goals against through six conference contests.

Despite defeating No. 1 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps this past Saturday, Cal Lutheran did not overtake the Stags in the national rankings but did move up to its highest spot in program history at No. 2.

Wednesday's win guarantees Cal Lutheran a top four seed heading into the SCIAC Championship Tournament which gets underway on Friday, Nov. 11. CLU was tied with CMS, Redlands and Pomona-Pitzer heading into the day.

Cal Lutheran (14-8, 5-1 SCIAC) will finish off its regular season schedule on the road Saturday, Nov. 5, at Pomona-Pitzer.

No. 3 Cal Lutheran Takes Down Nation's Top Ranked Squad

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 21:00:00 PST

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - No. 3 Cal Lutheran scored the final three goals during an 8-6 victory over the nation's top-ranked squad in Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Saturday morning at the Samuelson Aquatics Center.

Box Score: CLU 8, CMS 6 - F

The final of CLU goalkeeper Danny Mock's 11 saves fed a Kingsmen counterattack goal finished off by Brandon Gross. The score put Cal Lutheran up by two with 2:24 left, and a few defensive stops allowed the CLU faithful to count down the final seconds to victory.

The Kingsmen scored four first quarter goals highlighted by a pair from Dejan Novakovic. After CMS pulled to within one with five seconds left in the opening frame, the CLU newcomer responded with one of his own with one tick remaining.

Carter Baldwin led all players with three second half goals and his first put Cal Lutheran up 5-3 with 5:22 left in the third quarter. It was the only Kingsmen goal during an 18 minute stretch in which CMS took its first and only lead of the game.

Stags' Maarten Lefor, Brian Baier and John Holland turned a two-goal deficit into a 6-5 lead with 7:09 left in regulation. CMS' hopes of remaining as the only unbeaten squad in conference play and the nation's top ranked team had returned upon completing its comeback effort.

Baldwin converted a quick power play chance to tie the game 6-6 just over one minute after surrendering the lead. He went on to complete his hat trick by scoring the game-winning goal with 4:48 left in regulation.

Cal Lutheran honored its five seniors including Brandon Gross, Jordan Meaney, Alex Hacker, Cameron Shannon and Gannon Smith in the final home game of their respective careers. It is a game they will likely never forget.

Cal Lutheran (13-8, 4-1 SCIAC) is one of four teams tied atop the SCIAC standings following Saturday's action. The Kingsmen will be on the road for their final two regular season contests starting with Occidental on Wednesday, Nov. 2, at 4 p.m.

Defense Dominant in Win Over Whittier

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:00:00 PST

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - The Cal Lutheran men's water polo team extended its season long win streak to four matches following a 10-3 home victory over Whittier on Wednesday afternoon. The Kingsmen defense held the Poets scoreless for over 21 minutes while scoring six unanswered goals.

Box Score: CLU 10, WC 3 - F

Brandon Gross led all players with four goals including a pair of first quarter scores as the Kingsmen built a 4-1 lead at the end of one frame. After the Poets converted a man-advantage scoring chance to pull within two goals early in the second quarter they were held to only one goal the rest of the way.

Whittier's three goals came by way of a first quarter penalty shot, a second quarter player-advantage opportunity, and an unexpected attempt from seven meters in the final minutes of regulation.

During Cal Lutheran's lengthy 6-0 scoring run Dejan Novakovic contributed two goals and a pair of steals. The team has allowed a SCIAC-low 21 goals in four conference games courtesy of a strong defensive unit featuring the CLU newcomer.

Cal Lutheran defenders took down eight of Whittier's shot attempts with field blocks. Ten of the 13 that did get through and were on target were stopped by Kingsmen goalkeeper Danny Mock.

The Kingsmen have won three straight SCIAC contests and will play their final home game of the season on Saturday, Oct. 29, against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.

Novakovic's Journey Continues at CLU

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 10:00:00 PST

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - The typical trip to the California Mid-State Fair usually involves good music, gut-busting food and some livestock viewing. But Dejan Novakovic received an added recruiting pitch with his price of admission.

Novakovic attended the fair last summer with a few members of the Cal Lutheran men's water polo team.

The group included his former Palm Desert High School teammate Jordan Meaney.

"They just threw out the idea of me coming to CLU," Novakovic said. "I didn't really think about it again until two weeks before the season when Jordan called and asked if I wanted to come play. I loved the idea."

Instead of transferring from Golden West College to UC San Diego, Novakovic transferred to CLU.

It's the latest stop on a remarkable journey for the 6-foot-3, 185-pound junior.

Novakovic was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia, only a few months before the war started. Fearing for their safety, Novakovic, his mother and his older brother fled to Germany while his father stayed behind to take care of his grandparents.

"I was 5 years old when I finally got to meet my dad," Novakovic said. "I remember not liking him at first because I didn't believe he was my dad. It was just some guy coming into my life who I had only talked to over the phone."

The entire family eventually moved to Palm Desert because Novakovic's father had a friend in the area who provided them with an apartment.

Although Novakovic was too young to recall much about living in Sarajevo, his relatives have filled the void through their stories.

"My brother tells me for fun during the war for the first year they would go outside and collect bullet shells. It was pretty crazy," Novakovic said. "I went back last spring to visit and there is like nothing there. Half the city is safe and the other half is just like bullet holes all over the place."

Novakovic's parents continue making sacrifices to ensure their children are safe and happy. They can't attend many of CLU's games because they are usually working.

‘They are helping me a lot financially," Novakovic said. "I recently accepted a job so I am going to try to ease their load up."

But Novakovic has no regrets about being swayed by the initial overtures at the fair.

"I would definitely not have done anything different," he said. "I love it here. I love the area. I love the team and I love the coaches. It's so much fun."

CLU Wins Third Straight Over La Verne

Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:00:00 PST

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Cal Lutheran men's water polo picked up a valuable conference victory in convincing fashion defeating La Verne 13-2 at the Samuelson Aquatics Center on Saturday morning.

Box Score: CLU 13, ULV 2 - F

Cal Lutheran upended La Verne for the third time this season in this one-sided trilogy following victories by 16-5 and 14-11 margins in September. Saturday's performance was more of an encore to the original meeting this season with the Kingsmen forgoing the dramatics.

The CLU counterattack served its purpose creating premium scoring chances with open shots or by drawing exclusions to create player-advantage opportunities. Cal Lutheran drew 11 ejections on the day led by senior Jordan Meaney with three.

One of the starring roles during today's performance came from goalkeeper Danny Mock. The net minder made 12 saves and the Leopards were unable to score when playing 6-on-6. Andrew Mackay and Kyle Thorsness converted man-up chances in the first and fourth quarter respectively for the two ULV goals.

Continuing to lead the scoring effort is senior Brandon Gross. The team's season leading scorer connected on all five of his attempts and also drew two ejections in the win.

Teammate Alex Hacker scored a pair of first quarter goals aiding a fast start. Meaney, Kyle Norheim, Dejan Novakovic, Cameron Shannon, Carter Baldwin and Graham Jameson Jr. each scored once in the victory.

No. 3 Cal Lutheran (11-8, 2-1 SCIAC) will host its second of a three-game homestand on Wednesday, Oct. 26, against Whittier (7-13, 0-3 SCIAC).

Kingsmen Pick up First Conference Win

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:00:00 PST

PASADENA, Calif. - A nine-goal second quarter outburst by Cal Lutheran during Wednesday's SCIAC men's water polo contest against Caltech was the catalyst in a 22-7 road win for the Kingsmen.

The team's top three scorers on the season scored in order as Brandon Gross, Jordan Meaney and Dejan Novakovic put the visiting side up 3-0 within the first five minutes of the game. This trio provided only three more goals of the team's 19 that were scored during the final three quarters of play.

Kyle Norheim, Max Zappas, Mike Potter and David Sparks scored two goals apiece in the second quarter alone as CLU pushed its advantage to a comfortable 12-4 margin at the half.

The third quarter was capped off by a natural hat trick from senior Cameron Shannon. He scored three successive goals within a 68-second span putting the Kingsmen up 16-5 heading into the final frame.

Kyle Dzurko, Graham Jameson Jr., Nathan Ortega and Tyler Shepard were four of the six different Kingsmen to score in the fourth quarter.

CLU goalkeeper Conrad Aleks made four saves and grabbed two steals in the first half while Matt Baerg provided an identical stat line in the second half.

Cal Lutheran (10-8, 1-1 SCIAC) will host La Verne on Saturday, Oct. 22, at 11 a.m.

Comeback Falls Short in SCIAC Opener

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 12:00:00 PST

REDLANDS, Calif. - No. 3 Cal Lutheran dropped its conference opener 9-7 to No. 2 Redlands on Saturday morning. The Kingsmen responded with a 16-9 victory over Gannon to close out the Saturday doubleheader at the Thompson Aquatics Center.

Redlands 9, Cal Lutheran 7 - F
The host Bulldogs defense clamped down on the Kingsmen holding the visiting side to only one goal through the first 22 minutes of play. The CLU season scoring leader leader Brandon Gross received a game misconduct foul taking him out of the game with 5:26 remaining in the second quarter.

A couple of late third quarter scores by Jordan Meaney and Carter Baldwin pulled Cal Lutheran to within three. However a last second goal by UR's Danny Boessenecker pushed the margin to 7-3 heading into the fourth quarter.

Cal Lutheran pulled to within two goals with just over two minutes remaining in regulation but could not close the gap as time ran out.

Dejan Novakovic led Cal Lutheran with two goals and goalkeeper Danny Mock stopped eight shots in the loss.

Cal Lutheran 16, Gannon 9 - F
After being forced to watch from the bench for most of Saturday's opener Brandon Gross made up for lost time scoring seven of the team's 16 goals. He was one of five Kingsmen to score multiple times including Alex Hacker with three goals of his own. Meaney, Novakovic and Graham Jameson Jr. each scored a pair in the victory.

Leading 8-6 early in the second half the Cal Lutheran offense scored six third quarter goals and cruised to victory. Mock made 10 saves in the win and held Gannon to only one fourth quarter score.

Cal Lutheran will return to conference play on the road when facing Caltech on Wednesday, Oct. 19, at 4 p.m.

Late Comeback Nets Saturday Split

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 18:30:00 PST

CLAREMONT, Calif. - CLU men's water polo completed its two-day, four-game schedule at the Claremont Convergence on Saturday. A furious fourth quarter comeback proved the difference in a 9-7 win over Fordham before falling to Vanguard 13-11.

Cal Lutheran 9, Fordham 7 - F
After giving up five first quarter goals the Kingsmen defense allowed the Rams to score only twice over the final 24 minutes. Cal Lutheran trailed by one at first quarter's end but pulled even after Dejan Novakovic scored the first of his two goals in the game.

CLU trailed 6-5 heading into the fourth quarter and scored three unanswered fourth quarter goals to take a two-goal advantage.

Fordham's Eric Minowitz stemmed the rally and pulled the Rams to a one-goal deficit with 31 seconds left. Needing only to maintain possession and run out the 35 second shot clock Cal Lutheran used both of its timeouts before Novakovic scored the game-clinching goal with four ticks left.

Brandon Gross led the Kingsmen with three goals, four steals and two drawn exclusions. His first half hat trick kept Cal Lutheran within comeback distance in the early going.

Goalkeeper Danny Mock made 12 saves and held the Rams to only two goals over the final three quarters.

Vanguard 13, Cal Lutheran 11 - F
Coming off three victories including two comeback wins featuring a triumph over the nation's second ranked Division III program Johns Hopkins within a 24-hour span, the Kingsmen finished its weekend facing a team it had comfortably defeated earlier in the season.

Vanguard had plans of revenge after falling 13-7 to the Kingsmen only eight days prior. In that meeting the Lions trailed 8-3 at the half and were never in comeback range.

This time the Lions shut out the Kingsmen over the first 10 minutes of the game while pulling out to a 4-0 lead. Cameron Shannon, Nathan Ortega and Brandon Gross nearly closed the gap completely by halftime as Cal Lutheran trailed 5-4 heading into the break.

Another string of four successive goals by the Lions proved the end of any hopes of an undefeated weekend for the Kingsmen. Vanguard's Jason Lee and Cal Lutheran's Brandon Gross each led their respective teams with four goals.

Cal Lutheran will begin conference play on Saturday, Oct. 15, at Redlands. It will be the first of a doubleheader in Redlands with the Kingsmen facing non-conference foe Gannon later that afternoon.

CLU Conquers Johns Hopkins in Overtime

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 17:00:00 PST

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Jordan Meaney scored the game-winning goal with 18 seconds left in overtime to defeat No. 2 ranked Johns Hopkins 9-8. CLU men's water polo capped off day one of the Claremont Convergence with a 12-4 victory over Connecticut College.

Cal Lutheran 9, Johns Hopkins 8 - F/OT
CLU never led in regulation and held the lead over the final seconds after Meaney completed his hat trick in the second overtime frame.

Friday marked the first win in program history over the Blue Jays. Cal Lutheran had lost the previous three meetings by three goals or less before finally breaking through at Axelrood Pool on the campus of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.

CLU goalkeeper Danny Mock made eight saves and provided a pivotal fourth quarter shutout in aiding the team's comeback attempt. The Kingsmen trailed 7-5 through three periods before a pair of fourth quarter scores forced overtime.

Meaney, Brandon Gross and Max Zappas combined to score eight of the team's nine goals in the win.

The Blue Jays have been previously ranked in the overall top-20 polls which includes NCAA Division I, II and III programs. JHU defeated No. 13 Princeton and No. 19 Bucknell earlier this season.

Cal Lutheran 12, Connecticut 4 - F
The Kingsmen held the Camels scoreless in the first and third quarters while pushing their lead to eight through 24 minutes of play. Nine different CLU players scored including a pair each from Max Zappas, Mike Potter and Tyler Shepard to lead the way.

Kyle Norheim, Dejan Novakovic, Cameron Shannon, Graham Jameson Jr., Brandon Gross and Alex Hacker each contributed to the scoring column.

In only his second collegiate start freshman Conrad Aleks made 10 stops in the victory.

Cal Lutheran will face Fordham and Vanguard on Saturday, Oct. 8, at the Haldeman Pool located on the campus of Pomona-Pitzer Colleges.

Friday Split Caps off Lancer Invitational

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 19:00:00 PST

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Kingsmen water polo split a pair of contests at the Lancer Invitational hosted by Cal Baptist on Friday afternoon. Senior Jordan Meaney scored six goals in a 13-7 win over Vanguard and added two more in a 15-10 loss to the host Lancers.

Box Score: CLU 13, VAN 7 - F
Box Score: CBU 15, CLU 10 - F

Cal Lutheran 13, Vanguard 7 - F
Meaney scored the opening goal on a man-advantage opportunity just 91 seconds after the opening sprint. It was a sign of things to come with the senior netting six goals and the Kingsmen offense converting five player-up chances.

A pair of 4-0 runs put Cal Lutheran up 11-3 midway through the third quarter and the Kingsmen cruised to victory. Dejan Novakovic and Brandon Gross provided three goals apiece and combined with Meaney this group contributed 12 of the team's 13 scores.

The sizeable lead was also aided by a 10-save performance from CLU goalkeeper Danny Mock. Counterpart Christian Carrillo made eight stops in the loss.

Cal Baptist 15, Cal Lutheran 10 - F
The Lancers jumped out to a 7-1 lead late in the first quarter and never looked back. Cal Lutheran trailed by five at the end of the first period but stayed even with Cal Baptist the rest of the way.

The Kingsmen offense was able to create 11 premium scoring opportunities by drawing nine exclusions and two five-meter penalty shots. Cal Lutheran cashed in with five goals and pulled to within three late in the fourth quarter.

Carter Baldwin scored his third goal of the game creating a 13-10 deficit with 3:45 remaining before Cal Baptist added a pair of insurance scores over the ensuing 62 seconds of play. Baldwin finished with three steals and three drawn exclusions in the loss.

Gross led all players with four goals and finished with seven on the day. Mock finished with eight saves and two assists.

Cal Lutheran (5-6) will take part in the two-day Claremont Convergence event starting on Friday, Oct. 7. The Kingsmen will face Johns Hopkins and Connecticut College at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges to start the weekend.

Cal Lutheran Water Polo Fit for Season

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 10:30:00 PST

Every year, Cal Lutheran men's water polo coach Craig Rond reminds his players to train during the summer to stay in shape.

Every year, the Kingsmen return for camp with many miles to go to reach peak game condition.

But this season, things were different.

The Kingsmen surprised Rond by arriving in great shape.

"I was really impressed with how hard they worked," Rond said. "It's usually an uphill battle, but I really think this team is focused and wants to win so bad. Obviously, that doesn't always equate to a championship. But if there is a team more focused than this one, I haven't seen it at Cal Lu."

CLU remains on a quest to capture the program's first Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title.

The Kingsmen were contenders last season, but were upset by Whittier in the first round of the SCIAC Tournament.

Leading scorers Brandon Gross and Jordan Meaney return this season as senior captains. Junior Carter Baldwin has increased his scoring output to accompany his strong defensive skills.

Although the Kingsmen lost three starters to graduation, they have been bolstered by the addition of three newcomers.

Junior college transfer Dejan Novakovic and freshmen Nathan Ortega and Kyle Norheim have made instant impacts for Cal Lutheran.

"This team has a real competitive edge," said Gross, an Agoura High graduate. "Everyone here hates losing, and it just us makes us work that much harder to beat other teams. Even in practice, we do relays for conditioning and nobody wants to finish second. That is the first loser, and losing is not fun for us."

Gross took his captain role seriously this summer by emailing his teammates to remind them about working out.

He and other players who live locally trained together in the gym and in the pool. Gross knows the Kingsmen need every edge possible to be ready for conference play in October.

"The SCIAC is always crazy and any team could beat any team at any given point," he said. "This year we are working our butts off so when it comes down to the clutch we can get it done."

The Kingsmen (4-5) have nearly two weeks off before returning to action on Sept. 30 in the Lancer Invitational hosted by Cal Baptist. Rond isn't worried about his players losing an edge.

"They are just a bunch of good guys who really respect each other and the sport," Rond said. "This is probably the smartest team I've had in a long time. They have great water polo IQ and work well together. They are looking to accomplish some big things, and they have the potential to do that."

Water Polo Double Dips Against D-III Foes

Sat, 17 Sep 2011 18:00:00 PST

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - A pair of three-goal victories against Chapman and La Verne during its host Posada Royale Invitational on Saturday at the Samuelson Aquatics Center concluded a five-game stretch over the past three days in which the Kingsmen won three matches.

Box Score: CLU 12, CU 9 - F
Box Score: CLU 14, ULV 11 - F

Cal Lutheran 12, Chapman 9 - F
Chapman took a brief 2-1 lead in the first quarter when CLU's Cameron Shannon tied the game just 27 seconds after relinquishing the lead. It was the first of three unanswered goals and the only time the host Kingsmen would trail in the game.

Carter Baldwin and Alex Hacker scored back-to-back goals pushing the Kingsmen lead to three, and a late score by Brandon Gross provided a 7-4 halftime cushion.

The visiting Panthers clawed back to within one midway through the third, but Jordan Meaney scored two of his three fourth quarter goals to open the frame and put the game out of reach. Meaney and Hacker each scored four of their own in the victory.

CLU starting goalkeeper Danny Mock made 10 saves and extended his streak of 10 or more saves to four consecutive starts in the victory.

David Carson and Brett Carter scored two goals apiece to lead the Chapman offense. Goalkeeper Taylor Roskos made nine stops in the loss.

Cal Lutheran 14, La Verne 11 - F
The Kingsmen scored six unanswered goals, featuring a hat trick from Gross by the end of the first quarter. The second quarter featured nine scores between the two teams leaving CLU with a comfortable 10-5 halftime advantage.

After shutting out La Verne in the opening frame the Leopards returned the favor in the third and pulled to within two heading into the fourth quarter.

ULV's Emerson Gant capped off a 6-0 scoring run 28 seconds into the fourth quarter and brought the Leopards back to within one goal. Both teams traded scores before goals from Gross and Baldwin in the final minute of play secured the win.

Gross led all players with six goals, while Meaney and Dejan Novakovic led the squad with three assists. Andrew Mackay led La Verne with five goals in the loss.

In other action MIT defeated Fresno Pacific 8-5 and La Verne 14-5, and Chapman outlasted FPU 13-11.

Cal Lutheran will have nearly two weeks off before playing a doubleheader on Friday, Sept. 30 as part of the Lancer Invitational hosted by Cal Baptist.

CLU Drops Pair to NAIA Squads

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 19:30:00 PST

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Cal Lutheran faced off against NAIA foes Concordia-Irvine and Fresno Pacific at the Samuelson Aquatics Center on Friday afternoon. The Kingsmen fell to the undefeated Eagles 16-7 and narrowly missed forcing overtime in a 12-11 loss to the Sunbirds.

Box Score: CUI 16, CLU 7 - F
Box Score: FPU 12, CLU 11 - F

Concordia-Irvine 16, Cal Lutheran 7 - F
The Eagles soared out from the start scoring six straight goals including a pair from Duje Grubisic and Jacob Pril during that stretch. Teammate Rex Learmouth netted a couple late second quarter goals and finished with a game-high four scores.

Ending Concordia's scoring was Dejan Novakovic who scored a hat trick in the second quarter providing all of Cal Lutheran's first half offense. He also led the Kingsmen with two assists and a pair of steals.

Jordan Meaney and Brandon Gross each scored to open the third period pulling CLU to within five but the Kingsmen would come no closer.

Sophomore Conrad Aleks made his first start in goal and finished with 12 saves and two steals.

Fresno Pacific 12, Cal Lutheran 11 - F
Trailing 2-1 midway through the first quarter Meaney tied the game and Gross poured in the first two of his team-high five goals giving the Kingsmen a 4-2 lead. A buzzer beating player-advantage goal by Kyle Norheim gave CLU the momentum and preserved a two goal margin through eight minutes.

The Cal Lutheran offense converted on both of its man-up chances in the first quarter but cashed in on only 2-of-7 the remainder of the game.

Nathan Ortega scored a late second quarter goal putting the Kingsmen up 7-6 heading into halftime. The freshman led the Kingsmen with three assists including a pass to Alex Hacker on a player-up opportunity that tied the game 9-9 late in the third quarter.

Fresno Pacific's Mateja Maksimovic led the Sunbirds with five goals including a score on the team's ensuing possession following Ortega's game-tying score. He and teammate Nick Fadden combined for five of the team's six second half goals with the final one putting FPU up 12-9.

Max Zappas scored on a quick shot following a foul outside five meters and Gross converted a 6-on-5 chance with 2:11 left to pull the Kingsmen within one.

The final two equalizing chances featured a Zappas backhand from set that came up short and a Novakovic shot from outside that ricocheted off the post with only seconds remaining.

Danny Mock had his third straight double-digit blocks performance in goal stopping 12 shots.

Cal Lutheran (2-5) will host the Posada Royale Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 17. The Kingsmen will play Chapman at 10:30 a.m. and La Verne at 4 p.m.

Kingsmen Victorious in Home Debut

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 18:30:00 PST

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Cal Lutheran never trailed in its home debut on Thursday against MIT and outlasted the Engineers 11-8. Junior goalkeeper Danny Mock made 10 saves including a second half penalty shot stop that changed the tide for good.

Box Score: CLU 11, MIT 8 - F

The Kingsmen led throughout most of the game but the Engineers hung around during the first half. It was a scoring dual between MIT's Craig Cheney who led all players with six scores and CLU's Brandon Gross who finished with a team-high five goals.

Junior Carter Baldwin scored three times with his final goal giving the home squad a 7-6 lead late in the third quarter. MIT was in position to tie it for the third time after earning a five-meter penalty shot when Mock came up with arguably the biggest play of the game.

On the ensuing Kingsmen possession CLU earned a penalty shot of their own and Gross converted providing an 8-6 score. After Cheney had tied the game 6-6 early in the third quarter Cal Lutheran responded by scoring all five of its second half goals in succession to seal the game.

Mock has put together his best performances this season against nationally ranked Division III opponents. Prior to blocking 10 shots against No. 6 MIT, Mock stopped 14 shots in a 16-5 victory over No. 9 La Verne.

The win over MIT was the first in program history and avenges last year's 9-5 defeat to the Engineers in Cambridge, Mass.

Cal Lutheran (2-3) will host a Friday doubleheader against NAIA foes Concordia-Irvine and Fresno Pacific starting at 12:30 p.m.