WWPA Championship: Third time’s a charm for Golden Eagles
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GENEVA, Ohio - Turns out third time's a charm.
After falling a game short the past two seasons, the Concordia Golden Eagles left no doubt on Sunday afternoon, dispatching Southern California rival Biola, 9–5, in the Western Water Polo Association Men's Championship Final at SPIRE Aquatics Center.
CUI (21–12) receives the WWPA's automatic bid to the National Collegiate Water Polo Championship, Dec. 5–7, 2025, at Avery Aquatic Center in Stanford, Calif. They'll learn their first-round opponent on Monday, Nov. 24, during the selection show available on NCAA.com.
This is CUI's first conference title and will be its first first trip to Nationals.
"To have come this far the last two years and wind up on the losing end was very difficult. We've put a lot of work and effort in," said WWPA Coach of the Year Justin Johnson. "This game gives us a lot of validation for what we're doing as a program."
WWPA Player of the Year Pablo de Souza and the defense stifled Biola (10–21) all game, limiting the Eagles to just a single score in each period over the first 24 minutes. The goalkeeper from Brazil made 11 total saves and continually stymied any BU rally effort.
Both teams felt the nerves coming out of the gate, trading a total of eight scoreless trips. The first goal came with 3:22 left in the first by Porter Rosenlof. Oscar Garcia Blomback added another shortly afterward.
BU's Noah Ryznar finally cracked the seal on the powerplay with 13 seconds left in the first to make it 2–1. Despite the timely goal, the Eagles continued to find it tough going.
Kaliq Khan and Garcia Blomback extended the CUI lead to 4–1. The three-goal Golden Eagle lead would more or less remain the rest of the quarter, preserved by de Souza's penalty save on Caleb Hernandez moments before halftime.
Dimitrios Koritsas found Sam Diamond halfway through the third for a close-range goal. CUI would took its largest lead of the game, 7–2, when Nicolas Fuchs fired one past Joshua Dachenhausen at the 3:14 mark of the period.
Levi Bengelink stopped a 10-minute BU scoring drought on the next trip down the pool, but it would be the last real threat to the Golden Eagles' decisive advantage.
Senior Harry Bentham, who missed a majority of the regular season recovering from hip surgery, slotted a shot under the top bar to make it 8–3. The Englishman fittingly crowned himself in celebration.
A short time later, he scored again to make it 9-4 and essentially ice the game.
Bentham and Garcia Blomback led CUI with two goals apiece. Khan paced Concordia in points with a goal and two assists.
Bengelink notched a hat trick, and Dachenhausen made 10 stops for BU.
3rd Place: #1E Gannon 17 - #3W Fresno Pacific 12 | Box Score
Postgame Interviews
Host and No. 1 East seed Gannon capped a historic season with a victory over Fresno Pacific in the Third Place game.
The Golden Knights (14-10) answered FPU's (5-20) opening goal with four unanswered to take a lead they'd never relinquish. FPU was able to pull back within one midway through the second, but another 5-1 stretch by GU put the game out of reach.
Rajmund Farsang scored five, Nikiforos Liantziris contributed four, and Bator Mohacsi stopped 12 shots.
Luke Young contributed a hat trick while Forrest Gray and Chris Sandino each netted two scores.
5th Place: #3E Salem 14 - #2E McKendree 13 | Box Score
Postgame Interviews
The 2024 WWPA champion will head back to West Virginia with a postseason win under its belt after Salem (16-15) downed McKendree 14-13 for 5th Place.
Three-time All-WWPA First Team Marko Zivojinovic finished with a game-high six goals, including the de-facto deciding goal with 39 seconds remaining.
The Tigers trailed most of the match and was down a goal under the five-minute mark. Samson Hurey equalized and Medun Arsovic put SU ahead on the powerplay with 1:23 remaining.
All-WWPA First Team Armand Le Goff answered the next trip down the pool for McKendree, but Zivojinovic, who leads the entire conference in points (163), grabbed the lead back for SU.
The Bearcats brought their goalkeeper up for the next attack, but Gennaro Pecoraro's attempt was stymied by his opposing netminder. Arsovic took the quick outlet and tossed a shot down the length of the pool to score on the empty net.
Le Goff and Joshua Gibson netted hat tricks while Alexandros Prokopis scored twice with three assists for the Bearcats.
Marko Jovanovic logged three assists for SU.
All-WWPA Championship Team
Most Outstanding Player
Pablo de Souza, Concordia
First Team
Hugo Wouters, Concordia
Dimitrios Koritsas, Concordia
Adam LaVoy, Biola
Joshua Dachenhausen, Biola
Bator Mohacsi, Gannon
Dillon Shaw, Gannon
Forrest Gray, Fresno Pacific
Second Team
Harry Bentham, Concordia
Gavin McKenzie, Biola
Rajmund Farsang, Gannon
Chase Hammes, Fresno Pacific
Nandor Voros, Salem
Yannick Robertson, McKendree