Pirates men’s water polo faces Alumni in nail biting and humorously unorthodox game
On Saturday, October 10 the Modesto Junior College men’s water polo team faced off against the water polo Alumni in a fierce back and forth game which resulted in the Pirates winning 15-14.
While warming up, it was evident how rusty and slow the Alumni would be compared to the Pirates. They worked to get the kinks out, as the Pirates joked around and tried some inventive scoring tactics such as standing on each others’ shoulders, spinning reverse throws, and even using their heads and feet.
Unexpectedly, the Alumni won the sprint for the ball at the start of the game. Both sets of Pirates started off with a slow, methodical pace taking their time to look for open shots and making good passes. The Alumni’s #3 made the first point of the game with a skip shot making the score 1-0 in favor of the Alumni. The Pirates’ Bryan Wilson answered right back tying the game at one a piece. With a pass from #17 on a cut to the goal, the Alumni’s Roman Yeoman wrestled for the ball with the Pirates’ goalie, Jeremy Day, and then scored. The next play, Roman Yeoman did a spinning reverse throw that went right into the goal baffling the Pirates’ goalie and gaining cheers from the crowd.
From then on, the tempo of the game skyrocketed. Both teams turned on the level of aggression. The Pirates’ Erik Arakelian went on to score before the end of the first period making the score 3-2 in favor of the Alumni.
Before the start of the second period, the Alumni swapped out their younger players for their more experience players including a member of the MJC women’s water polo team, Sonja Raynes. On a fast break towards the goal, the Pirates’ Tyler Bolton faced the goalie one on one and ended up scoring. With that goal tying the score at three, the Alumni brought their younger players back in, resulting in a goal by #2 for the Alumni. A shot by Tyler Bolton was rejected by the Alumni’s goalie resulting in a celebratory fist pump that brought cheers from the crowd. The very next play Tyler Bolton got into another one on one situation and made sure he scored on that encounter. The Alumni had trouble getting back on defense giving up another goal to the Pirates. The Pirates’ bench got really riled up when they rejected a shot from Roman Yeoman. Roman Yeoman went on to score the next play, smiling at the rivalry that had grown. Before the end of the first half, the Alumni’s #15 scored giving them the lead by one. The half ended with a score of 6-5.
The Pirates won the sprint for the ball at the start of the second half and pushed it down the pool. They caught a break on a power play, but the shot was deflected by the Alumni’s Sonja Raynes before it could reach the goalie. The Pirates tied the score at six with a soaring assist by Brandon Duncan to Preston Hough. Preston Hough went on to score another goal in a sprint to the goal giving them the lead by one. The Pirates’ Bryan Wilson then scored a behind the back shot off of a soaring pass. The Alumni swapped their lineup in an attempt to stop the hot hand the Pirates had developed. The Alumni’s #11 scored after entering the pool. The Pirates answered back and then so did the Alumni in what was becoming a back and forth score fest. At the end of the third period the Pirates led 11-9.
The Alumni’s #5 had the first point of the fourth period with a high pass that he caught midair and threw into the Pirates’’ goal. The Alumni scored again on the next play tying the score at 11. Both teams pushed hard with good passes and fierce goal attempts. The Pirates’ conditioning showed superior with two back to back goals. The Alumni’s #15 then scored a score tying goal from the center of the pool making the crowd and his fellow teammates roar with excitement. And yet, The Pirates regained the lead with two back to back goals. The Alumni’s #13 then scored a crucial goal via penalty shot. The Alumni’s #15 then scored off of a long pass by elevating himself and batting the ball into the Pirates’ goal as if he was spiking a volleyball. In the final seconds, the Alumni trailed by one. Alumni’s #17 stole the ball from the Pirates’ goalie whom had swam out of the goal and threw it at the Pirates’ empty goal, but the ball stopped inches short. The current of the pool, however, began to slowly drift the ball back in, but the Pirates’ goalie in a frantic sprint back to the ball, caught up and scooped it out. The game ended seconds later, Pirates winning with a score of 15-14.
Before going on to shake hands with the Pirates, the Alumni chanted “Good game JC!” The Pirates answered back chanting “Old Guys!” The Alumni then retaliated by saying “Good luck kids!”
Pirates Men's Water Polo vs Alumni!
Published: Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Updated: Wednesday, November 4, 2009
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