Saint Mary’s College of California men’s water polo team fell 14-13 in a thrilling sudden-death overtime loss to the No. 1 ranked Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens on October 24, 2026, in San Jose, California. The Gaels led 6-4 at halftime and held an 8-6 advantage going into the final quarter, but Pomona-Pitzer rallied with five consecutive goals to tie the game at 11-11 and force overtime.
In the first overtime, Saint Mary’s regained the lead at 13-11, but Pomona-Pitzer scored twice in the second overtime to tie the score at 13-13 and push the game into sudden death. Pomona-Pitzer secured the golden goal to win the match.
Saint Mary’s attack led by Leo Hachem tallied five goals, marking his third consecutive multi-goal game and raising his season total to 45, ranking tenth in the West Coast Conference. Goalkeeper Griffin Lagsdin made 10 saves to keep the Gaels competitive throughout. Eight different players scored for Saint Mary’s, demonstrating offensive balance. Harry Irwin recorded his second consecutive multi-goal game, while Andrew Donlin, Hamish Ellison, and Domenico Barillà each contributed two assists.
The Gaels are set to face No. 18 Harvard on October 25 at 8:00 a.m. in the final game of the Julian Fraser Memorial Tournament, which will be streamed live. Saint Mary’s will look to build on this strong showing against another highly ranked opponent.
CSB Take
Saint Mary’s men’s water polo showed remarkable resilience and depth in pushing the NCAA Division III top-ranked Pomona-Pitzer to the brink in a dramatic sudden-death finish. The team’s balanced scoring and strong goalkeeping highlight their competitive potential this season. Though the narrow loss is a setback, the Gaels gained valuable experience against elite competition that can propel their confidence and performance as they prepare for their upcoming challenge against Harvard.
Source: Original report
