Courtesy: Air Force Athletics
Air Force men’s water polo (23-12) fell to Cal Baptist (24-13), 10-9, in consolation play Saturday at the 2022 Western Water Polo Association Championships at the Burns Aquatic Center on the campus of Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, Calif. Senior Grant Snyder broke the 50-year old single season goals record in his final game at Air Force.
After playing to a 2-2 tie after the first quarter, Air Force out-scored the Lancers 2-1 in the second to take a 4-3 lead at halftime. Cal Baptist took control of the game in the third quarter, out-scoring the Air Force 4-2 to jump ahead 7-6.
The teams traded three goals apience in the fourth. Air Force went ahead 9-8 with three minutes to play in the fourth. Cal Baptist rallied to tie the game and then went ahead with the winning goal with one second left in regulation.
Snyder led the Falcons with four goals. Junior Ian Christie added two goals and five assists for seven points. Sophomore Kaito Ham scored two goals and junior Cole Kopperud added a goal. Senior A.J. Kuypers had 12 saves in goal.
Snyder’s four goals gave him 123 for the season, breaking the previous record of 120, held by Ben Phillips since 1972. Snyder also finished with a school-record 181 points. Christie also caps the season with the school assists record in a season with 97 and is second in points with 168.
Air Force’s 23 wins is the second-most in program history and one shy of the record.