Water polo wins its fifth national title

This past weekend was filled with multiple wins and honors for the Cal Poly men’s water polo team.

The team won the 2007 Men’s National Collegiate Club Championships hosted by the University of Arizona from Nov. 9 to Nov. 11.

After winning the 2007 Pacific Coast Championships, the team advanced to nationals, where it beat Michigan State, the 2006 titleholder, 7-6 to capture the title.

The win marked Poly’s fifth national title.

“This season our team came together and played as one. We struggled through injuries and tough losses during the season, but when it came time to put everything together we were unstoppable,” said Josh Mix, team president and agribusiness senior. “All of the box scores proved our depth with all players scoring or contributing.”

Head coach Matt Landre was named Coach of the Year for helping the team reach its first national title since 2004.

Senior Daniel Harris was named MVP of the tournament for leading the Mustangs to the title, which Mix attributed to Harris’ performance in the championship game, as well as his defense throughout the tournament.

“It was the team that led me to get the MVP, really,” Harris said. “We get so many opportunities from our defense that I don’t even have to shoot. In the first three games at nationals, I only had one goal and that’s a testament to our defense.”

Five Cal Poly players were named to the 2007 Men’s National Collegiate Club Championship All-Tournament Team. Harris and Ryan Smillie were named to the First Team, while Bobby Erzen, Brandon Ross and goalie Casey Ryan made Second Team.

The championship game against Michigan State was tight and lasted into overtime. Harris made two critical goals during the extra periods to secure the win.

Michigan State was able to make one goal during overtime but couldn’t get another shot past Ryan.

Cal Poly took the lead early in the game with two goals, but Michigan State surpassed Poly at the end of the second quarter (3-2). The score reached 4-4 by the fourth quarter. Both teams made a goal during the final quarter to tie 5-5, pushing the game into overtime.

Harris had a total of four goals during the game and Smillie had three. Ryan had a total of eight saves. The Mustangs ended up with six ejections compared to Michigan State’s eight.

Cal Poly played its first game Friday against Georgia Tech and won 16-2. Eleven players on the team, including Mix, Erzen, Justin Lekos, Bryce Sigourney and Bryson Bailey, combined to score the 16 goals for Poly.

The Mustangs won their second game 15-4 against Middlebury College Saturday afternoon. Ross led the team with five goals and Erzen and Aaron Shilling followed with two goals each. Ryan made nine saves for the Mustangs.

Their third win was against Miami University by a score of 13-2 Saturday night in the semifinals. Ryan made 13 saves for Poly, earning himself Player of the Game honors. Erzen, with three goals and Ross with two, helped secure Cal Poly’s spot in the finals.

The team will begin off-season practices in the spring and hopes to defend its title next season, Mix said.

“I know next season we will be coming with the same intensity as we did this season. Our team has a lot older guys, but it also has a lot of new talent waiting for their chance to step up,” Harris said.