Pirates hold off late charge for 8-7 win over Tigers

COSTA MESA -- In a match that went down to the final seconds, the Orange Coast College men's water polo team pulled off an impressive 8-7 Orange Empire Conference win over visiting Riverside City College on Wednesday afternoon.

It was another impressive performance by sophomore goalkeeper Alexander Furlong, who came up with 15 big saves and four steals, including one on a 5-meter attempt and another on a breakaway.

Offensively, Parker Evans and Ariel Levi each had a pair of goals for the Pirates (9-1, 2-0 in OEC), while Gavin Scott, Nathan Britton, Skyler Chanove and Kevin Dayan each added single goals.

For the Tigers (9-3, 1-1), Kyle Christian, Andrew Kucenas and Shane Marek each had two goals, while the goalie tandem of Kristopher McVeigh and Dustin Shaw combined for 10 saves.

RCC jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first quarter before a last-second goal by Chanove turned the momentum back to the hosts, who trailed 3-2 after the opening eight minutes.

Both teams traded goals before a pair of tallies by Evans gave Coast a 5-4 lead at the half. Early in the second quarter, Riverside was awarded a 5-meter penalty throw, but the attempt by Shane Marek was stopped by the long arms of Furlong.

The sophomore GK from Capistrano Valley again came up huge in the early moments of the third quarter when a breakaway by the Tigers led to a point-blank opportunity, but Furlong reached out and threw off the timing of the RCC shooter and the Pirates maintained their 5-4 advantage.

Britton provided the only goal of the third and Coast carried a 6-4 lead into the final quarter.

The lead grew to 8-5 on a pair of goals by Levi, but Riverside refused to give up.

After fighting off a 6-on-5 disadvantage, the Tigers picked up a goal by Marek to trim the lead to 8-6 with 1:14 left.

An OCC turnover turned into a goal by Christian with 55 seconds left and suddenly, it was a one-goal lead for the Pirates.

Coast used the majority of their shot clock but could not put the match away with a goal as a shot by Kevin Dayan rang off the goalpost, giving RCC a chance to even up the contest.

But a final shot in the final seconds was blocked ahead of Furlong by the OCC defense and the Pirates held on for the win.

Coast will head north to compete in the Cuesta College Tournament, beginning on Friday.