ORANGE, Calif. – Sophomore Graham Asalone scored a career-high eight goals as he led the Chapman University water polo team (10-15, 6-5 SCIAC) to a 17-14 win over the visiting La Verne Leopards (9-16, 4-8 SCIAC) earlier this evening.
With his eight goals tonight, Asalone moves into fourth all-time with 88 goals scored this season. He moved into the top-5 in program history with his 79th goal last weekend at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.
Asalone got to work quick, scoring a hat trick in the first five minutes of the match to help give the Panthers a 4-3 lead after the first quarter.
The sophomore tallied his fourth goal on a 5-meter penalty shot in the first minute of the second quarter, giving Chapman a two-point lead. The two sides traded points back-and-forth before the Panthers went on a 3-1 run to end the half. Asalone and sophomores Andy Anguiano and Philip MacLean each tallied a goal at the end of the half to give Chapman a 9-6 lead at halftime.
La Verne senior Vasil Halchev struck first in the third quarter, but the Panthers answered with back-to-back-to-back goals to expand their lead to four goals. Asalone and junior Hunter Ramaekers found the back of the net late in the third quarter, but the Leopards responded with two goals in under a minute and a half to cut their deficit to 14-11 at the end of the third quarter.
La Verne freshman Alam Barnuevo struck just over a minute into the final quarter, followed by a Chapman goal from Asalone just 40 seconds later. Asalone fired again, this time nearly five minutes later to put Chapman up by three goals with just under two minutes left to play. Leopards junior Guillermo Ocasio found the back of the net two more times, but a goal from Chapman freshman Andy Colmignoli with under one minute left sealed the win for the Panthers.
Anguiano also tallied a hat trick in the effort, scoring three goals while also adding an assist, five steals and an earned ejection. Asalone recorded three assists, three earned ejections and a steal in his career-high night. Senior goaltender Wes Hertel tallied 12 saves and six steals in the win.
The Panthers return to Allred Olympic Pool on Saturday, Nov. 9 as they host Cal Lutheran and honor three seniors at 11 a.m. on Senior Day.
by Katie Bell
Sports Information Assistant
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