Long Beach State University Athletics
49er Alumni Game Full of Goals and Laughs
9/14/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
Sept. 14, 2008
LONG BEACH, Calif.: The 49er mens water polo team hosted their annual alumni game Sunday, pitting members of the current 2008 squad against LBSU water polo alumni. The alumni team was made up of former players with graduation dates ranging from 2008 to 1978.
Both teams had trouble scoring in the first period, and were tied after one. The alumni took over the game in the second period however, going on a 5-2 run to take a 6-3 lead into the half. The alumni took three more goals early in the second half, and led the current squad by four by the end of the third period. The 2008 team made a comeback in the fourth period to tie the game at 13 with 1:23 left, but the alumni scored once more with :08 seconds left to win the game.
Clint Wilson led the alumni with three goals scored, including two on 5-meter shots and one as the game winner. Dave Del Grande, brother of current-squad member Mike Del Grande, scored two goals of his own, and spent much of the game matching up against his younger brother.
Water polo often came second to fun during the match, however. A member of the current squad scored Long Beach's eighth goal of the game with a ball about a quarter-size of a regulation water polo ball, which had been thrown into the pool by a team member. Matt Farrington put smiles on a few faces himself, scoring one of his two 5-meter shots of the day with an almost out-of-the-water spin move. Ash Blythen, normally a 210 lb. center, finished the game as the Niners' goalie, and even recorded a few goal saves.
Long Beach State gets back to business next weekend, when they travel to Stockton, Calif. to participate in the Northern California Tournament. The Niners' first opponent is UCSD, who Long Beach has already beaten once this year in the UCSD Triton Invite. Their first game, against the Tritons, kicks off at 9:20 am PT Saturday. The tournament then continues on Sunday, September 21.
