POMONA, Calif.
– The California Baptist University mens water polo team won two matches on the opening day of the Gary Troyer Tournament on October 2, 2026, in Pomona, California. The Lancers defeated Pomona-Pitzer 10-5 and Air Force 15-8 to improve their overall record to 17-4, including a 10-2 mark at neutral venues.
In their first match against the third-ranked Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens, California Baptist overcame a slow start. Pomona-Pitzer scored the first three goals while the Lancers struggled to find offense during the opening eight minutes. However, CBU scored the first goal of the second period, then added five more, shutting out Pomona-Pitzer in that frame to lead 6-3 at halftime. California Baptist extended the lead to 8-0 before allowing Pomona-Pitzer to score twice late in the third quarter. Andrea Nuzzo led the offense with a hat trick, and Rafa Martinez contributed two goals. Michael Abshier finished with five assists, and goalie Tyler Carson made seven saves.
Later in the day, the Lancers faced Air Force. Wyatt Bugbee scored the first two goals for California Baptist, but Air Force responded with three consecutive scores, taking an early lead. The first half ended with CBU holding a slight 5-4 advantage. California Baptist surged in the third period with seven goals, including four consecutive scores at the start of the quarter, to take a commanding 12-5 lead. Paulo Hernandez led with four goals on five shots, Bugbee added a hat trick, and Alessandro Tiberio scored twice off the bench. Abshier had three assists in this game to reach eight on the day overall. In goal, Tanner McCreary recorded five saves, including stopping a penalty shot, while allowing eight goals.
California Baptist will continue the Gary Troyer Tournament on October 3 against Chapman and Biola in Pomona.
CSB Take
The California Baptist University men’s water polo team demonstrated strong offensive firepower and defensive resilience in opening the Gary Troyer Tournament with two decisive wins. Key players like Andrea Nuzzo and Paulo Hernandez contributed substantially to the scoring, supported by effective playmaking from Michael Abshier and solid goaltending by Tyler Carson and Tanner McCreary. Maintaining this momentum in upcoming tournament matches will be crucial for the Lancers as they seek to sustain their impressive record and compete at a high level moving forward.
Source: Original report
