Alumni Water Polo Club: 2017 U.S.A. Senior Nationals Champions

By Alumni Water Polo Club, 08/06/17, 6:00PM PDT

Alumni Water Polo Club finishes out the season by winning the 2017 Senior Club National Championship!

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, August 4th, 5th, & 6th, Alumni Water Polo Club finished out its 2017 USA National League year by playing in the most important tournament of the year the inaugural 2017 U. S. A. Senior Nationals Championship. The tournament was at the brand new University of California, Berkeley Legends Aquatic Center in Berkeley, California. The invite-only Championship tournament featured the 9 best programs in the country. For the weekend, Alumni Water Polo Club went undefeated 6-0 to become the 2017 Club National Champions!

Eric Sturgeon, Steve Doten, Jeremy Davie, Kevin Witt, Nic Bicari, Nick Fadden, Wes Lincoln, Ely Bonilla, Greg Enloe, Spencer Hamby, Lance Morrison, Andrew Reego, Nick Jordan, Vlad Kazk, Daniel Lenhart, Nikola Vavic, Sean Grab, Matt Burton, MVP Chay Lapin

ALUMNI WPC 14 v UOP 08

Nicolas Bicari, CAN - the Canadian Men's Senior National Team superstar was phenomenal through the weekend leading all scorers with 20 goals in the 6 games.

To open up the weekend, Alumni WPC traveled to Stockton, California to play at the Cortopassi Aquatics Center pool at St. Mary's High School near UOP to play two 'warm up' games before the Championship tournament weekend ahead. Alumni WPC took on the University of the Pacific and the University of California, Davis.

Alumni WPC began with UOP. The game started slowly and after a long back and forth Alumni WPC finally put someone on the board. Alumni WPC went on to make it 2-1, but then UOP rattled off 3 late goals to go up 4-2 at the end of the first quarter. Alumni WPC found its rhythm though and the talented lineup started clicking. Alumni WPC's defense especially locked up and held UOP to just 4 goals the remaining three periods. The offense led by Nicolas Bicari and Spencer Hamby with 4 and 3 goals respectively led Alumni WPC on a 12-4 run in those three quarters. Andrew Reego and Nikola Vavic added 2 more goals apiece en route to a 14-8 Alumni WPC victory.

ALUMNI WPC 16 v UCD 07

Sean Grab, UCD - the 2015 WWPA Player of the Year fresh off playing professional Water Polo over in Spain played a big role for Alumni WPC over the weekend.

In the second game of the day, Alumni WPC faced a familiar opponent in UC Davis. UCD played very tough, pushing every counter and making Alumni WPC earn their stripes, but Alumni WPC's offensive power created a 5-2 advantage. UCD did not quit, they battled hard and scored 3 big goals in a row to tie it up at 5-5. Alumni WPC had the answer though and proceeded to score the next 6 goals. In a very common theme for the weekend, Nicolas Bicari and Spencer Hamby with 5 and 3 goals apiece again led all scorers. Andrew Reego scored 3 of his own along with 2 more from Nick Jordan helping Alumni WPC win 16-7.

ALUMNI WPC 13 v UCI 05

Greg Enloe, UCI - the All-American and former National Team athlete has been Alumni WPC's rock defensively all season long.

On day #2, Alumni WPC the 2017 USA Senior Nationals Championship tournament commenced. Alumni WPC opened up with the University of California, Irvine. Spencer Hamby kept up with his scoring dominance and scored the first two goals of the game. UCI answered with 2 of their own, but Nicolas Bicari and Nikola Vavic each added a goal to go up 4-2 to close the high scoring opening period. The second quarter was much more defensive and Ely Bonilla was very solid in the cage for Alumni WPC. UCI scored to make it 4-3, but Hamby scored his third to put Alumni WPC back up 2 at half.

The third quarter saw more strong play from Bonilla as UCI could only score once. Nicolas Bicari got his second and Nick Jordan and Andrew Reego added goals to make it 8-4. In the fourth, Alumni WPC's offense put the game away seeing Bicari add 2 more to again lead all scorers with 4 goals, Vavic added another goal, and Kevin Witt scored maybe the most memorable goal of the entire weekend to close the game 13-5 Alumni WPC.

ALUMNI WPC 09 v CAL 04

Nikola Vavic, USC - the 2-time Peter J Cutino Award Finalist and USA Men's Senior National Team athlete was absolutely lights out on the final day of the Championship weekend scoring 7 goals in the final 2 games.

Next, Alumni WPC faced another UC school in the University of California, Berkeley. Having never beaten CAL in Alumni WPC short history, Alumni WPC knew they would have to be ready for a battle. Alumni WPC's defense was great all game and goalie Chay Lapin was a wall. Nikola Vavic scored first. CAL did answer, but only before Nick Jordan and Spencer Hamby would each get goals from center to go up 3-1 after the first. The second quarter was almost all defense with Lapin posting a shut out and Nicolas Bicari scoring the only goal.

With the 3 goal lead at half, Alumni WPC was eager to not let up. Hamby scored again and Andrew Reego got his only goal of the game off a fabulous assist from Lapin. The third closed 6-2 Alumni WPC. CAL did manage to score more than once in the final period, but Daniel Lenhart and again game leading scorers Bicari and Hamby each added goals to get the dominant 9-4 victory.

ALUMNI WPC 12 v NYAC 08

Chay Lapin, UCLA - the 2012 USA Olympic Goalie and this Tournament MVP was unbelievable in the last 2 games posting Alumni WPC career high 18 saves both games.

Championship Day #3, was set and Alumni WPC would face its two biggest rivals in the professional New York Athletic Club and Olympic Club. First, Alumni WPC would face NYAC, whose roster had many current USA Men's Senior National Team athletes as well as several USA Olympians along with the Hungarian superstar Norbert Madaras. With every player on the NYAC roster promised an all expenses vacation to New York City if they won, they very extremely eager to win. But Alumni WPC proved more hungry to complete their extremely successful season.

The game was extremely physical and had everything you want in a Championship game. NYAC scored first, but Nicolas Bicari off 2 assists from Andrew Reego scored back to back goals. NYAC answered, but then Nikola Vavic got 2 of his own to close 4-2. Again, a second quarter looked to be all Chay Lapin as both defenses were phenomenal. Reego finally got someone on the board on a bar-in from the outside on 6-on-5 to go up 5-3. But in the final seconds of the second quarter, NYAC found the back of the net to make it 5-3 at half.

The third quarter saw a ton of action. Unfortunately for Alumni WPC, NYAC got some fortunate rebound and shots that got field blocked in to created a tremendous back and forth. Jeremy Davie scored, NYAC answered. Spencer Hamby got his first, NYAC answered. Matt Burton scored, NYAC answered. Until finally, Vavic would score and NYAC could not answer as the third quarter closed Alumni WPC up 9-6. NYAC did get their answer in the fourth, but only before Alumni WPC would strike 3 times in a row behind repeat goals from Vavic, Bicari, and Hamby. Chay Lapin was nothing short of extraordinary posting a season high 18 blocks. NYAC scored one more before the close but it was far too little too late as Alumni WPC got the huge game victory 12-8.

2017 Alumni Water Polo Club National Champions!

ALUMNI WPC 11 v OCLUB 04

Spencer Hamby, PEP - 2-time All-American and currently playing professional Water Polo in Germany was difficult to stop scoring 3 goals in every game except for one.

For the final game, it was all too perfect, Alumni WPC faced its other biggest club rival, the Olympic Club. In what was always going to be a great defensive battle, Alumni WPC relied heavily on its superstar USA Olympian Chay Lapin. He posted another shut out quarter to open the game and Lance Morrison scored his only goal of the weekend but it could not have been more important. Jeremy Davie kept the ball rolling to go up 2-0, but OCLUB answered. Spencer Hamby scored yet another big goal for the weekend and Nikola Vavic scored back to back penalty goals to go up 5-2 at half.

The third quarter was again defensive and tournament MVP Chay Lapin was sensational matching his career performance in the first game with another 18 blocks. Nicolas Bicari was also good scoring two consecutive goals to make it 7-3 going into the fourth. Alumni WPC's defense never waivered and its offense completely pulled away. Hamby, Reego, Davie, and Vavic all added goals en route to the decisive 11-4 Championship victory!

2017 Alumni Water Polo Club Senior Nationals Championship Tournament Team

To see more pictures from the weekend please go to the link:

https://AlumniWaterPolo.shutterfly.com/

2017 U. S. A. Senior Nationals Championship Roster

1. Chay Lapin Goalie UCLA

2. Jeremy Davie Post USC

3. Nikola Vavic Leftie USC

4. Nicolas Bicari Guard CAN

5. Nick Fadden Driver FPU

6. Andrew Reego Driver USC

7. Matt Burton Guard USC

8. Wes Lincoln Post UCD

9. Greg Enloe Guard UCI

10. Sean Grab Driver UCD

11. Spencer Hamby Set PEPP

12. Kevin Witt Leftie LMU

13. Ely Bonilla Goalie USC

14. Daniel Lenhart Leftie UCLA

15. Lance Morrison Set UOP

16. Nick Jordan Set UCSB

17. Vlad Kazanskiy Post SJSU

18. Brandon Brooks Goalie UCLA

Alternate Coach: Steve Doten

Assistant Coach: Eric Sturgeon

Head Coach: Robert Lynn

2017 U. S. A. Senior Nationals Championship Final Results

WARM UP

ALUMNI WPC 14 | UOP 08

Nicolas Bicari 4, Spencer Hamby 3, Andrew Reego 2, Nikola Vavic 2, Jeremy Davie 1,

Greg Enloe 1, Wes Lincoln 1 |

Chay Lapin 6 blocks (2) & Ely Bonilla 9 blocks (2)

WARM UP

ALUMNI WPC 16 | UCD 07

Nicolas Bicari 5, Spencer Hamby 3, Andrew Reego 3, Nick Jordan 2, Nikola Vavic 1,

Sean Grab 1, Jeremy Davie 1 |

Ely Bonilla 6 blocks (2) & Connor Macdonald 6 blocks (2)

GROUP PLAY

ALUMNI WPC 13 | UCI 05

Nicolas Bicari 4, Spencer Hamby 3, Nikola Vavic 2,

Matt Burton 1, Nick Jordan 1,

Andrew Reego 1, Kevin Witt 1 |

Ely Bonilla 9 blocks

GROUP PLAY

ALUMNI WPC 09 | CAL 04

Spencer Hamby 3, Nicolas Bicari 2, Andrew Reego 1, Nick Jordan 1, Daniel Lenhart 1,

Nikola Vavic 1 |

Chay Lapin 12 blocks

SEMI FINAL

ALUMNI WPC 11 | OCLUB 04

Nikola Vavic 3, Jeremy Davie 2, Spencer Hamby 2, Nicolas Bicari 2, Lance Morrison 1,

Andrew Reego 1 |

Chay Lapin 18 blocks

THE CHAMPIONSHIP

ALUMNI WPC 12 | NYAC 08

Nikola Vavic 4, Nicolas Bicari 3, Spencer Hamby 3, Jeremy Davie 1, Matt Burton 1,

Andrew Reego 1 |

Chay Lapin 18 blocks

LEADING SCORERS FOR WEEKEND

1. Nicolas Bicari 20 (6)

2. Spencer Hamby 17 (6)

3. Nikola Vavic 13 (6)

4. Andrew Reego 9 (6)

5. Jeremy Davie 7 (6)

6. NIck Jordan 4 (6)

7. Matt Burton 2 (4)

8. Lance Morrison 1 (4)

9. Daniel Lenhart 1 (6)

9. Kevin Witt 1 (6)

9. Greg Enloe 1 (6)

9. Wes Lincoln 1 (6)

9. Sean Grab 1 (6)

Tag(s): Up Next Alumni News