THE LATEST IN MEN'S WATER POLO

Saturday, November 10, 2007 - Davis California (12:00 p.m.)
Sunbirds visit UC Davis - Regular season finale

Link to UC Davis Men's Water Polo

Records
Sunbirds: 3-20
Aggies: 19-6

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Sunday, October 28, 2007
Final - Concordia 13, Sunbirds 9

Fresno -  The Sunbirds dropped their final regular season home match 13-9 to the Concordia University Eagles this afternoon at the Sunnyside High School pool.

FPU held a slim 5-4 lead after two quarters, but the Eagles out-scored the Sunbirds 6-1 in the third.

Jared Gilbert, Luke MacAlpine, Mike Kemether and Tim Kahn each scored a pair of goals for the Sunbirds. Caleb Goins made 16 saves in the FPU goal.

The Sunbirds will wrap up the regular season at UC Davis on Saturday, November 10.

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Saturday, October 20, 2007 - Whittier, California
Sunbirds drop pair in Los Angeles

Whittier - The Sunbirds dropped a pair of close match in the Los Angeles area today. In a match that started at 1:00 p.m. Whittier defeated the Sunbirds 14-12. Later in the day Pomona Pitzer defeated the Sunbirds 8-4.

The Sunbirds, now 3-19 in their first year, will host Concordia on Sunday, October 28, at the Sunnyside High School Pool. The match begins at 2:00 p.m.

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Saturday, October 13, 2007 - La Verne, California
Sunbirds drop doubleheader

La Verne - The Sunbirds dropped two matches in La Verne today. In the first match La Verne got the better of the Sunbirds 15-10. Later Occidental squeaked by the Sunbirds 13-12.

Against La Verne Kaleb Fachner, Luke MacAlpine, Mike Kemether and Tim Kahn each scored a pair of goals for FPU. Caleb Goins made 7 saves in the FPU goal.

Frank Borba scored 4 goals and had 5 steals in the loss to Occidental. Goings was busy in the FPU goal with 17 saves.

The Sunbirds will return to the Los Angeles area next Saturday for a pair of matches with Whittier and Pomona-Pitzer.

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Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - Sunnyside HS
Sunbirds drop heart-breaker to Blue Devils

Fresno - Five goals in the fourth quarter, including a pair in the final 32 seconds, lifted the visiting Merced College Blue Devils to a dramatic come-from-behind 10-9 win over the Sunbirds in men's water polo action at the Sunnyside High School Pool today.

The Sunbirds had built an 8-4 lead in the third quarter, but the Blue Devils stormed back to tie the match on a Brett Kollman goal with 32 seconds to play.

The Sunbirds turned the ball over on their next possession and Chris Tanzillo made them pay with the match-winner with just five ticks left on the clock. Tanzillo led Merced with three goals.

It was a heart-breaker for the first-year Sunbirds under head coach Bryan Suhovy.

If Suhovy was disappointed with his team he hid it well. "This is all part of the growing process," said Suhovy. "We are young and inexperienced. Sure a loss like this hurts, but it is all part of the growing process. We got better today."

Krisztian Kovacs scored three goals for the Sunbirds while Tim Kahn added a pair.

The Sunbirds, now 3-15 with the loss, will to to Los Angeles for a pair of matches this Saturday. The will face La Verne at 1:00 p.m. and Occidental at 4:00 p.m.

Goal Summary
Merced (10): Erik Baymiller 2, Nick Koenig 1, Devyn Rocha 1, Brett Kollman 2, Tyler Matthies 1, Chris Tanzillo 3
Fresno Pacific (9): Jacob Brotsis 1, Jared Gilbert 1, Matt Bresnick 1, Krisztian Kovacs 3, Tim Kahn 2, Frank Borba 1

Scoring 1 2 3 4 Tot
Merced: 2 2 1 5 10
Sunbirds: 1 5 2 1 9

Series
The series is now tied 1-1.

Records
Merced: 8-13
Sunbirds: 3-15

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Sunday, October 7, 2007 - Stockton, California
Sunbirds at the University of the Pacific Invitational

Stockton - Two more tough opponents hand the Sunbirds two more losses at the University of the Pacific Invitational in Stockton today.

The UOP "B" team beat the Sunbirds 19-6 and California Baptist handed the Sunbirds an 11-5 loss.

Tim Kahn scored a pair of goals against UOP. Caleb Goings was busy in the FPU goal, making 11 saves against UOP and 8 more against CBU.

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Saturday, October 6, 2007 - Stockton, California
Sunbirds at the University of the Pacific Invitational

Stockton - The Sunbirds dropped two contests on the first day of action at the University of the Pacific Invitational in Stockton today.

The hosts, UOP's "A" team beat the Sunbirds 21-9 in the early session, then George Washington defeated the Sunbirds 16-6.

Kaleb Fachner and Luke MacAlpine each scored 3 goals to lead FPU against UOP. Mike Kemether led FPU against George Washington with a pair.

Caleb Goings (3 saves) and Tighe Hill (2 saves) split time in goal against UOP. Goings made 12 saves in going the distance against GW.

Play continues tomorrow with matches against the UOP "B" Team and California Baptist.

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Friday, October 5, 2007 - Clovis High School
No. 19 Lancers sink Sunbirds 17-8

Fresno - Krisztian Kovacs gave the Sunbirds a 1-0 lead just 68 seconds into the contest, but it was short-lived as the No. 19 ranked California Baptist University Lancers sank the Sunbirds 17-8 at the Clovis High School Pool this evening.

Kovacs' early goal gave FPU what turned out to their only lead of the game. The Lancers tied the game less than two minutes later on a goal by Ryan Steiger, then took the lead for good on a pair of consecutive goals by Alan Ogden.

The Lancers led 5-1 at the quarter, 8-4 at the half and 13-5 after three quarters.

The match was played before an appreciative crowd of about 250. Many came to cheer on local high school favorites including Jake Hartson, Ryan Mejia (Clovis East), David Graves and Luke MacAlpine (Clovis West), Jared Gilbert, Allen Ogden, Jon Miller and Jason Bills (Clovis), Nick Rocca and Jake Brotsis (Central) and Tim Kahn (Bullard).

Miller started in goal for the Lancers and made six saves, while Ogden finished with four goals.

 

Tim Kahn scored four goals for the Sunbirds.

"They are a veteran squad," said FPU head coach Bryan Suhovy of the Lancers. "And it showed. We had a great crowd and they saw a FPU team that is young and inexperienced. I think we are getting better with each game. The guys are working hard and we are learning."

With the win the Lancers improve to 17-8, while FPU's record dips to 3-10. Both teams will participate in the University of the Pacific Tournament in Stockton this weekend, where the teams will face each other again.

Next home match for the Sunbirds will be next Wednesday, October 10, when they welcome Merced College. The game will be played at the Sunnyside High School Pool.

Updated Records
California Baptist: 17-8
Sunbirds: 3-10

Series
Tonight's match will be the second meeting of the two teams. The Lancers previously defeated FPU 18-6 in the CBU tournament on September 21.

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Sunday, September 30, 2007 - Santa Cruz, California
Sunbirds drop two

Santa Cruz - Tim Kahn had his second 5-goal game of the season, but the FPU men's water polo team had little else in a 19-12 loss to the host Banana Slugs of UC Santa Cruz. The loss was the first of two today in the coastal city.

Kahn scored two goals in a lopsided 21-4 loss at the hands of NCAA Division I member Santa Clara in the later contest.

Tighe Hill was in the FPU cage for both matches, recording 10 saves against the Slugs and 12 more against Santa Clara.

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Saturday, September 29, 2007 - Merced, California
Sunbirds split in Merced

Merced - The Sunbirds men's water polo team split a pair of matches in Merced today. FPU defeated Merced College 14-13 in overtime, then fell to the University of the Pacific "B" Team 17-10.

Tim Kahn scored four goals to lead FPU in the win over Merced and also had a pair against UOP. Caleb Salmond and Luke MacAlpine each scored two goals against UOP.

Caleb Goings made 16 saves to preserve the win over Merced. Tighe Hill made 8 saves against UOP.

FPU will travel to Santa Cruz tomorrow for a pair of matches against UC Santa Cruz and Santa Clara University.

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Saturday, September 22, 2007 - Pomona, California
Sunbirds at the California Baptist Invitational

Pomona - The FPU men's water polo team had a rough awakening this morning, but rallied in the afternoon to earn a split on the final day of the California Baptist Invitational.

Pomona-Pitzer had few problems in dumping FPU 19-5 in the 10:30 a.m. morning session. Krisztian Kovacs had two goals for FPU.

Later, the Sunbirds used two goals each from Caleb Salmond, Matt Bresnick and Tim Kahn to defeat Chapman 10-9.

Caleb Goings made 7 savings in picking up the win over Chapman.

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Friday, September 21, 2007 - Riverside, California
Sunbirds at the California Baptist Invitational

Riverside - Riverside Community College defeated the Sunbirds 12-5 in the opening round of the California Baptist Invitational in Riverside tonight.

In the late contest the host Lancers defeated the Sunbirds 18-6.

Krisztian Kovacs scored two goals for the Sunbirds against RCC. Tim Kahn led FPU with 3 goals a against Cal Baptist. Caleb Goings made 14 saves on the day, including 10 against the Lancers.

Play continues tomorrow in Pomona. The Sunbirds will face Pomona-Pitzer (10:30) and Chapman (3:00).

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Saturday, September 15, 2007 - Thousand Oaks, California
California Lutheran Invitational - Sunbirds drop two

Thousand Oaks - Tim Kahn scored five goals but it wasn't quite enough as the FPU men's water polo team fell 12-10 to Occidental today at the California Lutheran Invitational in Thousand Oaks.

Luke MacAlpine and Krisztian Kovacs supported Kahn's effort with a pair of goals each. Caleb Goings was credited with 4 saves.

Mike Kemether scored 3 goals to led FPU's effort in a 19-9 loss later in the day to No. 1 ranked Redlands. Goings (2 saves) split time with Tighe Hill (6 saves) in the FPU goal.

The Sunbirds completed the tournament with a 1-3 record.

Link to California Lutheran Invitational Schedule

Link to NCAA Division III Men's Water Polo Top 10

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Friday, September 14, 2007 - Thousand Oaks, California
California Lutheran Invitational - Sunbirds pick up first ever win

Thousand Oaks - The FPU men's water polo team finally took the plunge. The Sunbirds first water polo season officially got underway today at the California Lutheran Invitational.

The Sunbirds fell 14-7 to the hosts, ranked No. 4 in the NCAA Division III poll, but rebounded with an 11-9 win over No. 10 Whittier in the 6:00 p.m. contest.

Tim Kahn scored a pair of goals to lead the Sunbirds against Cal Lu. Kahn had another pair in the win over Whittier as did Luke MacAlpine and Mike Kemether.

Caleb Goings made 5 saves against Cal Lu and 7 against Whittier.

Play continues tomorrow at 10:30 for the Sunbirds when they face No. 9 Occidental. They wrap up the two day event against No. 1 Redlands at 4:45 p.m.

Link to California Lutheran Invitational Schedule

Link to NCAA Division III Men's Water Polo Top 10

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Saturday, September 1, 2007 - Sunnyside HS
Water Polo hosts Chapman in 11:30 scrimmage

The inaugural event of the Fresno Pacific University aquatics program will take place today at the Sunnyside High School Pool.

The Sunbirds men's water polo team will host Chapman University at 11:30 a.m.

The contest is a scrimmage, or controlled practice. By NAIA rule it is a non-recordable event. The result and statistics will not re reported to the media or presented on the internet.

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