Panthers Find Rhythm Late but Fall to Mt. SAC

The Chaffey College men's water polo team lost 26-5 to Mt. San Antonio College at the Aquatic Center on Wednesday afternoon. The Panthers showcased determination across all four periods, finding offensive rhythm late while facing one of the top programs in the state.

Mt. SAC surged early with a 10-goal first period before Chaffey got on the board as Vincent Garibay converted off a feed from Parker Black just before the buzzer. The Mounties extended their lead in the second period, but the Panthers continued to generate scoring chances, with Black scoring on a setup from Evan Fleming to make it 16-2 at halftime.

In the second half, Chaffey displayed frontcourt spacing and ball movement. Garibay added his second goal off an assist from Mario Nikolovski, while Black closed out the game with back-to-back scores, both assisted by Baron Gonzalez, to cap a strong fourth period push.

Goalkeepers Nolan Hanson and Adam Kirkpatrick combined for 12 saves, showing resilience against Mt. SAC's high-powered offense. Gonzalez and Aiden Kelley were active defensively, drawing exclusions and disrupting fast breaks to help stabilize play in the closing stages.

With the loss, Chaffey is now 0-4 in the South Coast Conference. The Panthers will take a breather from conference play and participate in a tournament at Cuesta College on Friday, October 17 and Saturday, October 18. Their first opponent is Las Positas College at 11:30 a.m.