(U-WIRE) BERKELEY, Calif. - Murphy’s law chose the Cal
men’s water polo team for its next victim Saturday. Everything
that could go wrong did at the most unexpected time for the
Bears (15-5, 4-3 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation).
After securing the top national ranking with a win at Stanford
the previous week, No. 1 Cal had a seemingly smooth path to
the top of the MPSF. Instead, the Bears were in for a nightmare
day against No. 5 Pepperdine (13-7, 7-1). By the time the
Waves got out of the pool with an 8-5 upset, it was the end
of a painful ordeal for Cal.
“It really was not our best game,” junior goalkeeper
Tim Kates said. “We got beat at our own game.” Damp
weather and an hour-long delay waiting for the referee to
show up turned out to be omens of a disjointed and frustrating
match for the Bears.
After a slow start, Cal had to play from behind nearly the
entire game. After clawing back to within a goal, three fourth-quarter
ejections finally ended the Bears’ hopes.
Physical play made for a game that was interrupted with both
whistles and breaks for injured players to get out of the
pool. Players received poolside treatment and stitches for
bloody lips and noses.
The Waves jumped out to a 3-0 lead early in a first half.
Cal could not find the net until Will Quist scored with 3:22
left. The Bears fought back in the second half, with Vince
Bevins and Quist scoring early Attila Banhidy making a penalty
to bring Cal within one.
The momentum came to a crashing halt when ejections were handed
out to Bears left and right.
“The game did get a little bit out of control,”
two meter Greg Panawek said.
Seniors Chris Lathrop and Panawek were handed game ejections
for excessive roughness with the Bears down 5-4. Cal coach
Kirk Everist was also tossed with just under three minutes
to go for berating the officials.
Taking advantage of the wounded Bears, the Waves ran away
with the game, scoring three more goals to seal the victory.
Usually the team that runs on opponents with fast counterattacks,
the Bears found themselves falling victim to their own tricks.
While the Bears are distraught over the upset, they realize
that this loss does not take them out of contention for the
NCAA tournament just yet.
“It doesn’t really hurt us because we still have
a chance at the top,” Kates said. “What really matters
is how we pick ourselves up from the loss.”
