Citrus College men’s water polo team opened its Western State Conference schedule with a 12-7 loss to No. 7 ranked Ventura on September 23, 2026, in Ventura.
The Owls trailed early, falling behind 5-0 before Andres Garcia assisted Andrew Montanez on Citrus’ first goal in the second quarter. Citrus trailed 8-1 at halftime. Despite a strong finish with three goals in the final minutes, the Owls could not overcome a 12-4 deficit entering the fourth quarter.
Andrew Montanez led Citrus with two goals on eight shots, while Desmond Lopez also scored twice and added an assist. Morrison Villa and Julian Munoz each contributed a goal, and Garcia recorded a goal and an assist. Goalkeeper Alex Castellano made three saves in the loss. Ventura’s goalkeeper Mack Munger recorded eight saves.
With the defeat, Citrus dropped to 2-3 overall and 0-1 in conference play. The Owls are scheduled to host El Camino in a Citrus College mini tournament at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.
CSB Take
Although Citrus College suffered an early deficit against a top-10 state-ranked opponent, the Owls showed resilience by scoring the final three goals and demonstrating offensive potential with productive performances from Montanez, Lopez, and others. Maintaining this positive momentum and defensive adjustments will be crucial as Citrus prepares to host El Camino in their upcoming mini tournament. This contest provides a valuable measuring point for the team’s development within the competitive Western State Conference.
Source: Original report
