Cuesta Men's Water Polo endured seven games over the last five days of the week: including a quartet of contests versus four-year programs. The Cougars opened the week with their Western State Conference (WSC) opener on Wednesday in Ventura. The Cougars, who are the four-time defending WSC Champions, outlasted the host Pirates and claimed the high-scoring affair, 15-11. On Thursday, the Cougars played a split doubleheader with a pair of NCAA programs. In the morning game, Cuesta faced 3rd-ranked University of Southern California. The Trojans, who are contending for the NCAA Championship, had their way with the Cougars and cruised to a 23-3 victory. In the nightcap, Cuesta travelled across the City of Angels to meet Occidental, which is ranked #4 at the NCAA Division II level. The host Tigers jumped out with six goals in the first quarter and held on to hand the Cougars their second setback of the day, 17-10. Cuesta spent the rest of the week in Riverside at Cal Baptist's Lancer's Joust. The Aqua-Cats opened against the 5th-ranked team in NCAA II, Whittier. The Poets delivered the Cougars their third straight setback, 18-11, but Cuesta rebounded in their nightcap. Cuesta, ranked 6th in the CCCAA, took on 9th-ranked Saddleback and soundly beat the Bobcats,17-12. Unfortunately, the Cougars closed their roadtrip with two more losses on Saturday. They fell to both #2 Golden West, 13-3, and ran out of gas in the week's finale against Biola, 9-7. The Cougars and Eagles entered the week's final period of play tied at six goals apiece, but were outscored 3-1 before the final horn. The two teams shall meet again at Biola on October 24. Cuesta is currently 9-10 on the season, but undefeated in Western State Conference play at 1-0.
Cuesta Men's Water Polo shall return to SLO and enjoy a five-game homestand this week. The Cougars host Santa Monica for a men's and women's WSC doubleheader on Wednesday, however the game times have been flipped, with the women playing the early game (3 PM) and the men squaring off for the finale (4:15). The poloists shall also host their Cuesta Classic II on Friday and Saturday. Cuesta is set to face Grossmont (8 AM) and Diablo Valley (3 PM) on Friday, before closing the event with Chaffey (2:30) and Rio Hondo (4:50) on Saturday.
