LBCC’s men’s water polo progressed to the semi-finals of the Southern California Regionals after defeating Orange Coast College 9-7 in the second round of an intense game on Friday night.
However, the men’s team lost to Cuesta 14-10 in the semi-finals but won third place in the tournament after beating Saddleback 14-13 in an intense game with three overtimes.
Right as the clock started the energy could be felt in the air as both teams had a prideful crowd cheering them on throughout the whole game.
The Vikings outplayed Orange Coast during the first period of the game outscoring them 3-2. LBCC moved through the waters aggressively and forced turnovers which resulted in many of their possessions ending near their opponents goal.
From the first period to the final seconds it was a very physical game as both teams were hungry for the win resulting in whistles being blown all throughout the match.
The intensity in the stands were rising heading into the second half with the score being 5-3.
As soon as the buzzer rang for the third period Orange Coast jumped into the water with a different mindset focusing heavily on offense, it was obvious that their game plan had changed and it seemed to be working very well with OCC scoring two straight goals.
With five minutes remaining in the third period and a score of 6-5, LBCC called a timeout to prioritize their defense.
OCC gained a boost of confidence from their final plays during the third period while their supporters in the stands filled the facility with enthusiastic cheers, putting all the pressure on LBCC.
Despite the Vikings’ timeout to configure a new strategy, OCC scored once again and tied the game 6-6. This seemed to flip a switch in the back of the Viking’s heads.
Both teams were shouting over each other trying to have the most efficient communication as time was racing.
Heading into the fourth period LBCC led with a score of 7-6. Orange Coast made sure they were heard shouting “1..2..3.. Coast!” from their side of the pool while the Vikings walked straight from their huddle and dove into the water feet first.
This was it, the most nail biting part of the game with both teams fighting for different outcomes. The Vikings could be heard shouting “Defense first!” as OCC was mainly focused on penetrating the Vikings defense, eager to score.
A little into the fourth period, it seemed that the Vikings’ determination to win had increased, as they transitioned from defense to offense very smoothly by scoring twice in a row and regaining their momentum. By the end of the buzzer it was the Vikings’ win.
After the game, Vikings attacker Itay Batito shared his thoughts.
“I’m really happy that we played together and we got this win, we played against a very tough team and I am proud of the guys,” said Batito.
The Vikings’ team chemistry has looked strong all throughout the season, mainly in how they communicate with each other.
“It started from being here every morning, practicing together, the coach makes us support each other in every game, every moment, and I’m glad to be a part of this team,” Batito said.
While the Vikings were celebrating, LBCC men’s water polo coach, Chris Oeding, had some words for his team.
“Enjoy the feeling but tomorrow is a big day, focus and be ready to go, job’s not finished.”