Balanced Play Leads Panthers to Strong Showing at Citrus Mini Tournament

The Chaffey College men's water polo team turned in a strong showing at the Citrus Mini Tournament on Saturday, going 1-1 with a win over Fullerton College and a loss against host Citrus College in double overtime. The Panthers showcased balance in their frontcourt sets, sharp ball movement, and steady goalkeeping across both contests. 

In the opener, Chaffey defeated Fullerton 17-13 behind a well-rounded offensive performance. Vincent Garibay led the attack with four goals and two assists, while Mario Nikolovski netted a hat trick. Parker Black also added a hat trick and two assists, and Wendell McIntosh contributed two goals and an assist. Baron Gonzalez was active as a distributor with two assists, and Andrew Hinojosa added one goal and had an assist. In the cage, Nolan Hanson stopped four shots in the first half, and Adam Kirkpatrick closed with three saves to keep the Panthers in control of the game.

The second match went down to the wire, with Citrus College edging Chaffey 18-17 in double overtime. Garibay again paced the offense, finishing with four goals, while Nikolovski added three, including back-to-back goals in the fourth quarter to help force extra time. Black contributed two goals, and Gonzalez tallied a goal and two assists. Jacob Morales delivered clutch goals late, including one with just two seconds left in overtime to extend the game. Hanson was busy in the cage, recording 16 saves to keep the Panthers in contention until the final minute.

The Panthers will return to action at home and will host the first conference game of the season against Long Beach City College on Wednesday, September 17, at 3 p.m.