Air Force Academy

Nov. 8, 2009

LA VERNE/CLAREMONT, Calif. -

Outscoring its opponents 28-9, the 15th-ranked Air Force water polo team rolled to a pair of conference victories Sunday. The Falcons defeated La Verne, 17-7, in the first game of the day, followed by an 11-2 win over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. With the victories, Air Force closes out its regular season with a 17-12 overall record and 10-4 ledger in the Western Water Polo Association.

The Falcons opened up the day with a road game against La Verne. While the contest was close throughout the first half, with Air Force holding a slight 5-3 edge at the break, the Falcons’ offense exploded after the intermission. Air Force outscored the Leopards, 12-4, in the final two periods to take the 17-7 victory.

Junior Bobby Geiger (Buellton, Calif.) was the Falcons’ leading scorer against La Verne with three goals, while Jack Hines (Sr., Riverside, Calif.), Kurt Lemmen (Jr., Orlando, Fla.), Garrett Womack (Fr., Redlands, Calif.) and Dillon Fisher (Fr., Orange, Calif.) added two goals each.

Also getting on the board for Air Force in the La Verne game were Matt Versage (Jr., Merced, Calif.), Alex Churnside (Sr., Orange, Calif.), Taque Patino (So., Rockford, Mich.), Matt Shields (Jr., Gilroy, Calif.), Kurt Wallin (Jr., Temecula, Calif.) and Brad Rajchel (Fr., Winter Park, Fla.) with one goal each. Meanwhile, sophomore goalie Danny Harold (Corona Del Mar, Calif.) tallied seven saves and a pair of assists in the contest.

Geiger was once more the team’s leading scorer, posting four goals, while Hines and Rajchel added two scores each. Also notching goals against CMS were Cruz Smithson (Fr., Capistrano Beach, Calif.), Patino and Lemmen. In addition, senior David Ostrom (Mission Viejo, Calif.) registered seven first-half saves, while Harold added two stops in the second half.

With the regular season completed, the Falcons will head to the Western Water Polo Association Championship, being held Nov. 20-22 in Orange, Calif.

No. 15 Air Force 17, La Verne 7

Air Force               2      3      6      6      17

La Verne               1      2      2      2      7

AF Scoring: Geiger 3, Hines 2, Lemmen 2, Womack 2, Fisher 2, Versage, Churnside, Patino, Shields, Wallin, Rajchel

La Verne Scoring: N/A

No. 15 Air Force 11, Claremont 2

Air Force               4      2      2      3      11

CMS                       1      0      1      0      2

AF Scoring: Geiger 4, Hines 2, Rajchel 2, Smithson, Patino, Lemmen

CMS Scoring: N/A