Sept. 6, 2008
La Jolla, Calif.- The Pacific men's water polo team and head coach James Graham kicked off the 2008 season with a bang on Saturday Sept. 6, as the No. 13 Tigers defeated the No. 16 Air Force Academy Falcons, 9-7 in the first round of the UC San Diego Triton Invitational. With the win Pacific moves to 1-0 on the year while Air Force falls to 0-1.
With the excitement of a new season and the motivation behind first year head coach Graham, the Tigers took to the water on Saturday afternoon ready to start the season off strong, and they did just that. 21 seconds into the first quarter the Tigers drew first blood as junior Grant Hollis (Redlands, Calif.) hammered in a goal at the 7:39 mark to put the Tigers up 1-0.
Not to be outdone so quickly, Air Force took matters into their own hands and answered back with a strike into the back of the cage from Alex Churnside to even the game at 1-1. After several missed shots by both teams, the slump was broken by the Falcons as Tyler Hewko put Air Force on top 2-1 with a goal at 4:17.
Again, a long scoreless lapse occurred until finally, senior William Milcovich (Walnut Creek, Calif.) got the ball in his hand with 2:22 left in the first quarter. Sliding past his defenders, Milcovich was able to elevate out of the water and let it fly right past the goalie and into the cage for the equalizer. With :08 left to play in the quarter, Hollis again came up huge again for the Tigers with the goal to put Pacific up 3-2, and earn his second goal of the game.
The second quarter proved to be much more of a challenge for both teams, as the offenses were slowed considerably. Several missed shots plagued both teams, with Milcovich knocking in his second score of the day at 3:50. It looked like the Tigers would go into the half up 4-2, until Air Force's Jack Hines snuck in a goal with only :02 left to bring the Falcons within one, trailing 4-3.
Going into the second half the Tigers knew they had to make a push to get out ahead of the Falcons and give themselves a cushion. The beginning of the third quarter proved to be a defensive battle as neither team was able to put up a shot on goal until the 5:22 mark, when Air Force's Charley Ford tied the game 4-4 with his first goal of the game.
The Tigers wasted no time in getting themselves right back into it with the help of their senior captain. Milcovich completed his trifecta as he scored his third goal of the day with 4:13 left to play to put Pacific on top 5-4. This instigated an offensive surge by the Tigers, as junior Joey Rossi (Ceres, Calif.) scored two unanswered goals in the next several minutes to further increase the Tigers' lead 7-4. Air Force scored one more before time expired as again Hines, slipped one past the goalie to make the score 7-5, Tiger lead.
Up by two goals going into the fourth quarter, things would get interesting for the Tigers before the end of the game. Rossi again, completed his three score special when he rifled in his third score of the day at the 6:16 mark, to give the Tigers a considerable lead, 8-5.
The Falcons started off the fourth quarter with an offensive push. Churnside once again got the ball in his hands, and launched it into the goal at 6:49, to chip away bit by bit at the Tigers' lead, now down to two, 8-6.
The defense of Pacific stepped up for the closing part of the quarter, sensing a momentum boost to the Falcons, and they did not allow another goal until the 2:36 point, when Hewko brought Air Force within one with his goal to make it an 8-7 Pacific lead. Wanting to close the game out and put the Falcons away, Hollis took matters into his own hands for the Tigers. With 2:11 left to play, he wound up and let the ball fly, and it landed in the back of the net to give the Tigers the 9-7 lead, and ultimately the win, as time expired with the Tigers on top.
Pacific was led by Milcovich, Hollis, and Rossi who each scored three goals for the Tigers while senior goalie Brian Domecus (Vallejo, Calif.) totaled 13 saves.
Air Force's Churnside and Hewko, each had two goals apiece for the Falcons.
The Tigers' next game is set for 2:50pm today, Saturday Sept. 6, as they take on the No. 2 ranked USC Trojans in the next round of the UC San Diego Triton Invitational.
