Tigers Take Second Place in OEC Championships; Await Call for CCCAA South Regional Playoff Berth
RIVERSIDE --Gaining a split of its pair of Orange Empire Conference (OEC) Championships tournament games last week, the Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers men's water polo team awaits the call of receiving a berth in the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) South Regional Tournament which begins this week.
Riverside (16-10 overall, 4-2, including OEC tournament play) hosted the 2015 OEC Championships last week (Nov. 5-7) at RCC's Riverside Aquatics Center (built in 2011).
After finishing the OEC regular season schedule in second place, RCC received a first-round bye in the OEC Championships. The Tigers faced third-place Orange Coast College (12-9, 3-3 OEC) last Friday (Nov. 6) and came away with a thrilling 12-11 win over the Pirates.
The Golden West College (GWC) Rustlers finished atop the OEC standings with a 4-0 mark (22-1 overall), followed by RCC, OCC, Saddleback (5-13, 1-5 OEC) and Fullerton (10-13, 0-5 OEC). Santa Ana did not field a team this season and Cypress has not sponsored a men's water polo team for quite some time.
In its tournament opener against OCC, the teams were tied at 3-3 after the first period and 5-5 at halftime. RCC led, 9-7, after three quarters.
Riverside freshman driver Jacob Weisenberg (Tustin / Foothill HS '14) led the Tigers with four goals and one steal against his former alma mater. (Weisenberg attended OCC last academic year, 2014-15, but did not compete in intercollegiate athletics for the Pirates.)
RCC freshman center Jonah Saenz (Riverside / Poly HS '15) added two goals, one assist and two steals. Freshman utility player Kyle Christian (Riverside / M.L. King, Jr. HS '15) added one goal and four assists. RCC freshman goalkeeper Dustin Shaw (Riverside / Poly HS '15) -- who is pictured -- had a whopping 13 saves.
In the OEC Tournament championship game against Golden West, Saena had three goals, Christian had one goal and two assists and Shaw had another 13 saves.
The second-place OEC finish was RCC's first runner-up placing since 2012 when it went 4-1 in OEC play (18-12 overall). The Tigers are led by third-year RCC head coach Jason Northcott.
-30-