By Nate Person
To open up the 2018-19 season, San Jose State men’s water polo will travel to Santa Clara University for three games on Saturday.
The Spartans will take on Stanford, West Valley College and participate in an alumni master’s match.
SJSU will have its work cut out for them this weekend playing Stanford. The team has lost all of the previous five meetings against the Cardinal since returning to the sport.
The Spartans will be without sophomore driver Jacob Mercep, who transferred to USC. Mercep was SJSU’s leading goal scorer from last season.
Junior 2M Finn Pardon, who had the second most goals last season, will be returning. He played every game last season and will be needed just as much this year, if not more.
San Jose will also be relying on its junior goalkeeper TJ Palmer not only this weekend, but throughout the season as well. Palmer started in 24 of the 28 games, netting 11 total wins for the Spartans in 2017.
The Spartans must be especially wary of junior Ben Hollack, a driver for Stanford. Hollack, who was an Olympian on the USA men’s water polo team in Brazil, led Stanford’s scoring with 56 goals in the last season.
SJSU will also face West Valley College, whom they have only played once before.
The match was in 2017 and came as a win for the Spartans. Since it’s the second game of the day, the Spartans will need to maintain their poise and execution to assure themselves of a win.
The last game of the day is an alumni master’s game. The match will feature former student athletes of the sport who will have an opportunity to show off the skills they still possess.
The Spartans will face Stanford at 9 a.m., West Valley College at 11:20 a.m., and the alumni master’s match at 12:30 p.m.
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