Air Force Academy

Sept. 17, 2011

STOCKTON, Calif. -

Playing against a pair of top-15 teams, the 20th-ranked Air Force water polo team went 0-2 on the opening day of competition at the NorCal Tournament, hosted by Pacific. The Falcons opened the day with a 21-4 loss to third-ranked UCLA, while dropping a close 10-8 decision to No. 13 Concordia.

UCLA dominated the first game of the day, earning a 7-1 lead after one quarter and a 13-3 advantage going into intermission. Meanwhile, the Bruins scored four goals in each of the final two periods and held Air Force to a single second-half goal, resulting in the final 21-4 margin.

Junior Cruz Smithson (Capistrano Beach, Calif.) was Air Force's leading scorer with two goals, while Dillon Fisher (Jr., Orange, Calif.) and Max Reilly (So., Davis, Calif.) each added a score.

In its second game of the day, Air Force played a much closer contest against 13th-ranked Concordia. With the game tied at 3-3 following the opening quarter, the Eagles took a slight 5-4 advantage at the half. In the third period, Concordia increased its margin to three goals by outscoring Air Force, 4-2.

Goals from sophomores Josh Stedman (Brea, Calif.) and Andrew Hamilton (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) in the final stanza brought the Falcons within a single point, but the Eagles closed out the game with another score to earn the 10-8 victory.

Stedman and Hamilton led Air Force with three goals each against Concordia, while Smithson and Brad Rajchel (Jr., Winter Park, Fla.) pitched in the other two scores. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Mike Fish (Jr., Manhattan Beach, Calif.) was credited with 14 saves in the loss.

No. 3 UCLA 21, No. 20 Air Force 4

AF Scoring: Smithson 2, Fisher, Reilly

UCLA Scoring: Hays 3, Lathrope 3, L. Reynolds 3, Bokavsek 2, P. Reynolds 2, Wherry 2, Barabino, Lenhart, Samuels, White

No. 13 Concordia 10, No. 20 Air Force 8

CUI Scoring: Ragosa 2, Belamaric 2, Grubisic 2, Wright 2, Learmouth, Pril

AF Scoring: Stedman 3, Hamilton 3, Rajchel, Smithson