By Anthony Lucido — Reporter
San Jose State men’s water polo (0-2) lost its first two games of the season against the Pepperdine Waves (5-2) 13-10 and Loyola Marymount University Lions (4-4) 12-3 last Friday.
The Spartans began the day at 11 a.m. fighting the Waves.
SJSU came in headstrong, trailing behind Pepperdine by only one-point at the end of the first period.
The Spartans didn’t fare well in the second period with the Waves increasing the pressure.
Pepperdine’s junior attacker Curtis Jarvis and junior attacker Balazs Kosa proved to be a challenge for SJSU; blocking shots and making shots.
The Waves ended the third period leading the Spartans by three-points 10-7.
SJSU senior center Finn Pardon and 2-meter defender Niels Hofmeijer pulled through offensively trying to close the gap, but Pepperdine’s defense proved too hard to beat.
Hofmeijer scored the final goal for the Spartans, closing the game at 13-10.
SJSU regrouped and prepared itself for its next match against the LMU Lions.
The Spartans started their match against the Lions four hours later at 3:30 p.m.
SJSU held up well early into the first period, tying with LMU 2-2.
With 20 seconds left in the first period, the Spartans attempted to launch a last shot but were blocked by LMU’s junior goalie Robert Halligan.
In a last-second effort, Rimlinger torpedoed the ball straight into the cage that gave LMU a two-point lead ending the first period 3-1, with the assist going to Halligan.
At the start of the second period, SJSU Junior 2-meter defender Neil Arnett fired a shot into the net, closing in on the Lions’ lead 3-2, with the assist going to Utku Karhab.
That would be the last point the Spartans would score as the Lions managed to dominate the rest of the match, leading with an eight-point lead.
The fourth period ended with a score of 12-3 giving the Spartans two losses at the start of their season.
The SJSU men’s water polo team will return to Pepperdine University again at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 20.
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