Alumni Water Polo Club played in the 2017 U. S. A. Fisher Cup Saturday and Sunday, May 20th and 21st in San Diego, California at the University of California, San Diego Canyonview Aquatics Center. This was Alumni WPC's third year being invited to the prestigious national tournament.
ALUMNI WPC 04 v USA World University Roster 15
In the first game of the tournament, third ranked Alumni WPC faced the eleventh ranked USA World University Games Team. In what was supposed to be an easier game for Alumni WPC, turned out to be quite the opposite. Alumni WPC opened up the game drawing three early exclusions, but after failing to score and of them, USA WUG took over and never looked back. They scored 4 unanswered goals in the first quarter and took the decisive 4-0 lead. Though Alumni WPC's offense picked up in the second quarter, it still left them down 7-2 at half. The third quarter was USA WUG's best as they rattle off 7 goals to Alumni WPC's 1 taking a 14-3 third quarter lead. In what may be Alumni WPC's worst game of its history, the young, but very talented and well-conditioned USA team dominated 15-4.
ALUMNI WPC 08 v UCLA 09
Kevin Witt, the LMU superstar, played great all weekend for Alumni WPC scoring 4 goals and adding solid defense.
In Alumni WPC's second game, they faced the 2014 and 2015 NCAA Champion University of California, Los Angeles Bruins. Andrew Reego opened up the scoring on Alumni WPC's second possession. Though UCLA tied it up making it 1-1 at the end of the first period, Alumni WPC seemed to be controlling the game. The former UCLA superstar goalie and 2012 Olympian, Chay Lapin, was hard to beat all game. UCLA struck first in the second, but the current UOP standout Tim Reeves answered making it 2-2 at half.
The third quarter saw a lot more scoring as future USC player Christian Emerson fired one from the outside to put Alumni WPC up 1. UCLA's center got two big goals back to back to retake the lead, but Kevin Witt answered with his first goal of the weekend to tie it up. Late in the quarter, UCLA scored again, but only seconds before Emerson got his second to make it 5-5 going into the fourth.
Jake Young went off in the final period scoring two huge goals for Alumni WPC to keep it even. UCLA took the late lead off some questionable referee calls or lack thereof. But Alumni WPC was not done as Reego struck again to tie it up late in the game. Alumni WPC's defense made a decisive stop, then drew an important ejection. After calling timeout, Alumni WPC created a great scoring opportunity for Young who got a great shot off from the 2-post, but UCLA's goalie made a huge save. Alumni WPC recovered the rebound and with under 30 seconds to go looked to take the final shot. Unfortunately, an offensive was called giving UCLA the ball with under 15 seconds to go. Despite Alumni WPC's solid play all game, UCLA found the back of the net to win 9-8.
ALUMNI WPC 15 v UCSD 10
Greg Enloe, the UCI standout, was instrumental in Alumni WPC's defense as always and led them to a very strong second day.
Due to Alumni WPC's rather unlucky draw in bracket play and two tough defeats, the best Alumni WPC could finish was 9th overall. Opening up day two with the tournament-host University of California, San Diego Tritons, Alumni WPC was keen on proving that it deserved to finish higher. UCSD did get on the board first, but from there Alumni WPC's offense took over. 5 different players (Lance Morrison, Kevin Witt, Christian Emerson, Tim Reeves, and Jake Young) all scored to go up 5-1. UCSD did get one more just before the end of the period and another to open up the second closing the gap to 2. Greg Enloe, Witt, and Andrew Reego with two goals again distanced themselves and got to half up 10-5.
The third quarter saw Reego scored two more goals and Alumni WPC's National League star Griffin Lerman score his first goal of the weekend. But both teams scored 3 apiece in the third period to make it 13-8 Alumni WPC. UCSD scored two goals in a row to bring it to within 3 in the fourth, but Daniel Lenhart and Emerson each found the back of the net to end the comeback and get the victory 15-10.
ALUMNI WPC 09 v LBSU 05
Daniel Lenhart, the UCLA 2014 NCAA National Champion, had another solid performance for Alumni WPC.
A tired and undermanned Alumni WPC played in the 9th place game against Long Beach State University Waves. LBSU opened up the scoring. The two USC Trojan Alumni WPC players Andrew Reego and Christian Emerson scored to keep the game even at 2 to close the opening period. From there, Ely Bonilla was an absolute wall in the cage and with Greg Enloe and Griffin Lerman at guard, Alumni WPC's defense was the best it was all weekend posting a second quarter shutout. Despite Alumni WPC already having two players gone for travel reasons and seeing Lerman go out with injury, Alumni WPC took a 6-2 lead at half behind goals from Kevin Witt, Griffin Lerman (before his injury), Tim Reeves, and Reego's second.
LBSU finally got back on the board in the third, but Reeves scored his second of three in the game and Daniel Lenhart got on the board to maintain the substantial 4-goal lead moving into the final quarter of the weekend up 8-4. In the fourth, Bonilla and the Alumni WPC defense did not waiver. LBSU played very physical, but despite the chippy play, Alumni WPC solidified its victory off the timeout goal from Reeves off the assist from Reego. LBSU only scored one more goal late in the game to make it a strong 9-5 Alumni WPC win.
To see more pictures from the weekend please go to the link:
2017 The USA Fisher Cup Roster
1. Chay Lapin Goalie UCLA
2. Tim Reeves Set UOP
3. Kevin Witt Leftie LMU
4. Nick Fadden Driver FPU
5. Griffin Lerman Guard UCI
6. Andrew Reego Driver USC
7. Lance Morrison Set UOP
8. Jake Young Set PEP
9. Greg Enloe Guard UCI
10. Jeremy Pope Post PEP
11. Wes Lincoln Post UCD
13. Ely Bonilla Goalie USC
14. Daniel Lenhart Leftie UCLA
15. Christian Emerson Driver USC
17. Lawrence Bardelli Guard UCI
2017 The USA Fisher Cup Final Results
ROUND PLAY
ALUMNI WPC 04 | USA 15
Daniel Lenhart 1, Greg Enloe 1, Tim Reeves 1,
Christian Emerson 1 |
Chay Lapin 6 blocks (2) & Ely Bonilla 3 blocks (2)
ROUND PLAY
ALUMNI WPC 08 | UCLA 09
Andrew Reego 2, Jake Young 2, Christian Emerson 2, Kevin Witt 1, Tim Reeves 1 |
Chay Lapin 12 blocks (4)
CROSS OVER
ALUMNI WPC 15 | UCSD 10
Andrew Reego 4, Kevin Witt 2, Christian Emerson 2, Lance Morrison 2, Griffin Lerman 1, Tim Reeves 1,
Jake Young 1, Greg Enloe 1, Daniel Lenhart 1 |
Ely Bonilla 9 blocks (4)
PLACE GAME
ALUMNI WPC 09 | LBSU 05
Tim Reeves 3, Andrew Reego 2, Christian Emerson 1,
Griffin Lerman 1, Daniel Lenhart 1, Kevin Witt 1 |
Ely Bonilla 15 blocks (4)