By Tim Cornell / Staff Writer
In the opening minutes of the match against Golden West College, the Riverside City College men’s water polo team were matching wits.
The game was tied at 2-2 before Golden West took control and had an offensive explosion.
After increasing the lead to seven, the Tigers were never able to bring the lead below five.
This was the Tigers’ first loss in Orange Empire Conference games. Their record in conference play is now 4-1. They are in second place in the conference below Golden West. The Rustlers remain perfect on the season at 21-0.
The RCC men’s water polo team’s dominating six match win streak came to a halt at the Golden West Tournament on Oct. 19 and 20.
The six match win streak was topped off with a win against conference foe the Saddleback Gauchos. The Tiger’s won 23-5 against the Gauchos on Oct. 17 at home.
Trent Virgil led the team with six goals. Brody Wood also contributed four goals for the Tigers. This win moved the Tigers to 4-0 in conference play.
Virgil contributes their six match win streak to getting to know each other more on the team as well as repetition of drills.
The Tigers lost their first two games of the Golden West tournament to the Diablo Valley Vikings and the Cerritos College Falcons, 15-7 and 17-10 respectively.
Both matches were the second time the Tigers’ faced those teams this season.
The first match against the Vikings this season the Tigers also dropped with a final score of 12-6. The Tigers’ last win against the Vikings was in the 2009 playoffs where the Tigers won 9-8. RCC defeated the Falcons earlier in the season 14-9 at the RCC tournament.
RCC won the final two games of the Golden West tournament against the Grossmont Griffins and the Cuesta College Courgars. The scores were 15-12 and 15-9 respectively.
The Tigers’ six match win streak included wins against conference opponent Fullerton and the Long Beach City College.
The Tigers’ won 23-7 against the Hornets in a conference match.
“We just wanted to go out that game and not give them a chance to catch up,” Virghil said.
The Tigers’ record on the season is at 16-9. They are 4-1 in conference play.
The Tigers’ next match will be at the Orange Empire Conference championships that will be held Nov. 1 through Nov. 3 at Cypress College. After that the team has the Southern California Championships on Nov. 8 through Nov. 10 then they end their season at the State Championships on Nov. 16 and 17.
