Tigers Win Twice, Advance to OEC Championship Final Saturday Against Golden West

MISSION VIEJO -- Posting a pair of victories, including an upset over the No. 2 seed, the Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers men's water polo team has advanced to Orange Empire Conference (OEC) Championships Final.

The 31st annual OEC Championships are being hosted by Saddleback College Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 3-5, in Mission Viejo.

Riverside City (18-8 overall, 3-2 in OEC regular season) -- the No. 3 seed -- opened Friday's (Nov. 4) with a 26-5 win over the No. 6-seeded Santa Ana College (SAC) Dons and then upset the No. 2-seeded Orange Coast College (OCC) Pirates, 8-6.

The twin wins propelled the Tigers to the OEC Championship final against the No. 1-seeded Golden West College (GWC) Rustlers on Saturday, Nov. 5, at 3:10 p.m.

In the win over Santa Ana, RCC jumped out to an 8-2 lead at the end of the first quarter of play and then outscored the Dons, 10-0, in the second quarter for a 19-2 halftime lead. The Tigers led, 22-3, at the end of the third quarter.

Eleven Tigers scored, led by sophomore center Jonah Saenz (Riverside / Riverside Poly HS '15), freshman driver Hunter Starkey (San Bernardino / Cajon HS '16) -- who is pictured -- and Artrell Winchell (San Bernardino / Cajon HS '16) who each scored four goals. Freshman goalkeeper Kristopher McVeigh (Riverside / Riverside Poly HS '16) and sophomore goalkeeper Dustin Shaw (Riverside / M.L. King HS '15) each had three saves.

In the stunning upset win over OCC, Riverside led, 2-1, at the end of the first quarter and 5-1 at halftime. RCC led, 6-4, heading into the final quarter.

Sophomore utility player Kyle Christian (Riverside / M.L. King HS '15) led RCC with four goals. McVeigh went the distance and had three saves and three steals.

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Heading into Saturday's OEC Championships Final, RCC fourth-year head men's water polo coach Jason Northcott has an overall record of 52-45.

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