RCC Opens 2024 with a Win after Nine Goals from Franklin
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Riverside (,) | 5 | 6 | 10 | 2 | 23 |
|
Merced (,) | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
Riverside City College men's water polo opened the 2024 season in dominant fashion, with a 23-8 win on the road over Merced College on Aug. 29. Solid defense and ball movement played a big part in the lopsided result, as RCC came away with 21 steals and 17 assists on the day.
Sophomore driver Lennon Franklin led the offense with nine goals, three assists, and three steals. The Tigers got at least five points and hat tricks from Colby Martin (three goals, five assists, five steals), Nathan Ferguson (three goals, four assists, two steals), and Luke Bills (four goals, one assist, four steals) in the victory.
Aiden Thompson and Leonardo Davis split time in the cage for RCC and finished with four and five saves, respectively, and a steal apiece.
RCC put the game away early and scored the first four goals out of the gate, with Bills cashing in the first two in the opening 68 seconds. The Tigers ended the first quarter with a 5-1 advantage. The lead stretched to seven, 11-4, by halftime after Franklin scored three times in the second quarter alone. RCC's cushion ballooned to 21-6 through three quarters.