Edith Noriega | Sports Editor
Nov. 13, 2014
Despite losing the final regular season game against the Fullerton College Hornets (14-6), the RCC men’s water polo team dominated the pool finishing fourth in the Orange Empire Conference and gained a playoff berth at the Southern California Regional Tournament against Grossmont Griffins Nov. 13.
Riverside opened the Orange Empire Conference Championships with split wins in a sudden death overtime-quarterfinals game against Saddleback College 23-22. Then lost a semifinal contest to the top seeded Golden West College 18-8 Nov. 6.
Against Saddleback, after ending the first half tied at 8-8 behind offense of Trevor Tripp had team-high seven goals.
The Tigers opened up a four-goal lead by the end of the third period. By the four-minute mark of the fourth quarter, Riverside’s lead was erased and the two teams headed into overtime tied, 18-18.
With 11 seconds remaining, RCC ran a timeout play that ended with Joseph Rivas who finished with six goals, buried the equalizer to for a sudden death overtime period.
Daniel Rolph net the game winning goal from the left handers side of the pool.
According to the CCCAA Rankings the Tigers finished 3-5 in the Orange Empire Conference with an overall record 8-17.
Riverside has been seeded 10th in the tournament and will face No. 7 seeded Griffins.
At the top of the men’s brackets, defending state champions Golden West (21-1) lead the No. 1 seed and Long Beach City (21-2) at No. 2.