Alumni Water Polo Club played in the inaugural U. S. A. Kalbus Cup Tournament named in honor of the late Dr. Barbara Kalbus Saturday and Sunday, June 24th and 25th in Long Beach, California at the California State University, Long Beach Ken Lindgren Aquatic Center. The tournament featured 8 of the best clubs in the country in an invite-only tournament.
ALUMNI WPC 16 v UCSB 06
Nick Jordan, the recent UCSB graduate, was dominant against his old team as he posted 3 strong goals from center.
To open up the tournament, Alumni WPC faced off against the University of California, Santa Barbara. In a game that would decide if you Alumni WPC was in the top four or not, they understood how important getting the victory was. Alumni WPC opened up the game very strong with an onslaught of goals seeing five different Alumni WPC players score. Daniel Lenhart scored on the first possession, Andrew Reego next, then Jeremey Davie, Nick Jordan, and high schooler Jackson Macleane. Chay Lapin was also dominant posting a shut-out quarter making it 5 - 0 at the end of the first.
Brandon Brooks replaced Lapin in the cage for the next two quarters and Alumni WPC continued to pull away. Jordan and Reego scored again, Kevin Witt got on the board, then Reego got his third before UCSB could even strike. Davie and Lenhart both scored again making it a solid 11 - 1 lead at the half. Alumni WPC and UCSB traded goals from there for the rest of the game. Reego scored his fourth, Jordan his third, Witt his second, and Jt Sarmento and Decker Dempsey each got goals as Alumni WPC sealed the decisive 16 - 6 victory and advanced into the top 4.
ALUMNI WPC 06 v CAL 12
In the second game of the day, Alumni WPC played the 2016 NCAA National Champions the University of California, Berkeley. CAL did not waste any time winning the sprint and then scoring from two-meters within seconds of the game starting. Alumni WPC and especially, goalie Chay Lapin, found their rhythm and after several key saves from Lapin, Alumni WPC struck twice taking the 2 - 1 lead. Kevin Witt not only drew the ejection, but also scored the power play goal to open up the scoring. Jeremy Davie scored next to take the lead. But Alumni WPC could not keep the lead through the first quarter as a fumbled steal led to a pivotal CAL goal to tie it up right before the close of the first quarter. The second quarter saw a very defensive battle ensue. Both defenses were solid giving up very few good shots. CAL was able to get two important ejections and scored on the two power plays to take the 4 -2 lead at the half.
CAL came out very hard the second half and struck with two quick counter attack goals to make it 6 - 2. Alumni WPC locked up and answered with a penalty goal from Andrew Reego and Greg Enloe pushed the CAL goalie and the ball into the cage to close the gap 6 - 4. It seemed Alumni WPC could not catch a break as two controversial referee calls lead to two easy CAL goals. In what was being played out as a very close game all the sudden seemed out of range for Alumni WPC. CAL pulled away and used their many subs to run the counter attack and finish the game 12 - 6.
ALUMNI WPC 08 v OCLUB 13
Jeremy Davie, the USC 3-time All-American, was phenomenal scoring in every game.
On day two, Alumni WPC crossed over the with other bracket's winner and its biggest rival the Olympic Club from San Francisco. This was the first time the two clubs have met since way back in February in the very first game of the entire year. Jeremy Davie did not wait long to score striking from the middle after drawing an ejection to put Alumni WPC up early. OCLUB answered with 3 important goals in the quarter to go up 3 - 1. Jt Sarmento found the back of the net to make it 2 - 3 to close the first. Alumni WPC played hard, but could not score again in the half. OCLUB scored two more goals on man-up advantages to further their lead to 2 - 5 at half.
OCLUB was very strong in the third quarter and saw one of their players score three consecutive goals to make it 2 - 8. Decker Dempsey and Daniel Lenhart did finally get Alumni WPC on the board, but OCLUB was simply too much for Alumni WPC making it 4 - 10 going into the fourth. New Alumni WPC player Jon Leopold scored his first goal for Alumni WPC along with Christian Emerson scoring two big goals, but it was simply too little as OCLUB won the game 13 - 8 and Alumni WPC moved on to the third place game.
Robert Lynn, the 2000 USA Olympian and 2008 and 2012 USA Olympic Coach, did more than just coach as he scored a goal in the 3rd Place Game.
In a rematch of the game Alumni WPC played at the USA Fisher Cup Tournament, they faced the University of California, Los Angeles. After losing a heart breaking game to UCLA the last time, Alumni WPC was set on the getting the win. UCLA came out strong and scored quickly putting Alumni WPC down. But from there, Chay Lapin was an absolute wall and Alumni WPC's offense found its way. Nick Jordan scored another powerful goal from inside off an assist from high schooler Jackson Macleane. Kevin Witt put away a great man-up goal to put Alumni WPC up. Jeremy Davie put away a great goal from two-meters and Nick Jordan scored his second again from the center making it 4 - 2. UCLA scored an important goal before the half to close the gap to one 4 - 3 at half.
In what looked to be another close game between the two teams, Alumni WPC did not want to lose another close one to UCLA after just a month ago. But in fact, Alumni WPC's defense and goalie Chay Lapin absolutely turned it on and turned the game on its head. UCLA would not score again the entire game and was held shut out the whole second half. Andrew Reego scored the only two goals of the third quarter to make it a crucial 6 - 3 lead moving into the final quarter of the weekend. UCLA had been down in similar fashion going into the fourth in two of their other games in the weekend and were able to make exciting come backs in both. So Alumni WPC knew their job was not done. But Alumni WPC's defense was just too solid. Jordan scored his third goal of the game on the 3-post on a man-up advantage and then Head Coach Robert Lynn came in on a timeout 6-on-5 and scored a goal of his own to make it 8 - 3. High school star goalkeeper Connor Macdonald came in late in the fourth quarter and made an incredible one-on-nobody save to keep the second half shut-out and give Alumni WPC the 8 - 3 redemption victory and the third place finish in the tournament.
To see more pictures from the weekend please go to the link:
2017 The USA Kalbus Cup Roster
1. Chay Lapin Goalie UCLA
2. Jeremy Davie Set USC
3. Kevin Witt Leftie LMU
6. Andrew Reego Driver USC
7. Christian Emerson Post USC
8. Jackson Macleane Guard UCD
9. Greg Enloe Guard UCI
10. Nick Jordan Set UCSB
11. Michael Plastino Driver UCD
12. Jt Sarmento Set UOP
13. Connor Macdonald Goalie UCSB
14. Daniel Lenhart Leftie UCLA
15. Jonathan Leopold Driver USC
16. Decker Dempsey Post UOP
18. Robert Lynn Post USC
2017 The USA Kalbus Cup Final Results
ROUND PLAY
ALUMNI WPC 16 | UCSB 06
Andrew Reego 4, Nick Jordan 3, Daniel Lenhart 3, Jeremy Davie 2, Kevin Witt 2,
Jackson Macleane 1, Jt Sarmento 1 |
Brandon Brooks 6 blocks (2), Chay Lapin 3 blocks (1), & Connor Macdonald 3 blocks (1)
ROUND PLAY
ALUMNI WPC 06 | CAL 12
Kevin Witt 2, Jeremy Davie 1, Andrew Reego 1,
Greg Enloe 1, Decker Dempsey 1 |
Chay Lapin 9 blocks (4)
SEMI FINAL
ALUMNI WPC 08 | OCLUB 13
Christian Emerson 3, Jt Sarmento 1, Daniel Lenhart 1,
Decker Dempsey 1, Jon Leopold 1 |
Chay Lapin 9 blocks (4)
PLACE GAME
ALUMNI WPC 08 | BRUINS 03
Nick Jordan 3, Andrew Reego 2, Robert Lynn 1,
Jeremy Davie 1, Kevin Witt 1 |
Chay Lapin 9 blocks (3) & Connor Mac 3 blocks (1)