CLAREMONT, Calif. (October 4, 2025) – Mount St. Mary's men's water polo fell to both California Lutheran and California Baptist on Saturday by scores of 13-12 and 20-11. With the losses, the Mountaineers round up their games at the Gary Troyer Tournament and return to Emmitsburg with a record of 6-16, heading into the heart of their Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference schedule.
 
Against the Kingsmen, the Mountaineers played out to an early 3-2 first quarter win thanks to two goals from William Matthews and a penalty score from Alexandros Belesis. A pair of Chrysostomos Valavanis goals from the hole-set sent the Mount and Cal Lutheran into halftime tied 5-5, with the Kingsmen scoring three in the second on the Mountaineer defense.
 
Valavanis completed his hat trick to start the third, scoring another goal while holding off defenders in the center. Ioannis Skliras scored in a one-on-one on the wing while Aaron Tarr and Matthews kept the Mount in the game, losing the quarter 6-4. The Mount outscored Cal Lutheran in the fourth by a score of 3-2, but the Kingsmen defense held out to secure the win in the end.
 
Matthews led the Mountaineer offense with four goals off seven shots with four completed steals and two field blocks. Valavanis notched a hat trick off five shots with four drawn exclusions. And Tarr managed a goal while providing five assists and completing two steals. Sherif Hosni made 10 saves in goal for the Mountaineers.
 
Cal Lutheran 13, Mount St. Mary's 12

Team                          1    2    3    4     F 
Mount St. Mary's              3    2    4    3     12
Cal Lutheran                  2    3    6    2     13
 
Goals: Matthews 4, Valavanis 3, Skliras 2, Belesis 1, Agritelis 1, Tarr 1
 
Saves: Hosni 10
 
 
Against California Baptist in game two, the Mountaineers found themselves down early, heading into the first intermission down 7-1, with Nate Valentine coming in off the bench and scoring a goal from hole-set before the elapse of the clock. Belesis started the quarter with a goal, thundering a ball into the net from beyond the five-meter mark to score first in the period. Valavanis and Matthews combine for back-to-back goals while Valentine scored his second against the Lancers off a beautiful no-look pass from Tarr, heading into halftime down 12-5.
 
Tarr started the scoring for the Mount in the third quarter with a breakaway down the right-wing, slotting the ball between the goalkeeper and the near post. Belesis then proceeded to score three unanswered, scoring from a passing sequence, a two on one, and a penalty.  Valavanis scored his final of the day in the fourth quarter off a high pass from Skliras. And Belesis scored his fifth against the Lancers, working the goalkeeper with a pump-fake from beyond the five-meter mark.
 
Belesis led the Mountaineer offense against Cal Baptist, notching five goals from ten shots while completing a steal and drawing an exclusion. Tarr recorded a goal while providing three assists, completing two steals, and recording a field block. Valavanis and Valentine recorded two goals a piece against the Lancers. Hosni recorded eight saves in goal.
 
No. 13 Cal Baptist 20, Mount St. Mary's 11

Team                          1    2    3    4     F 
Mount St. Mary's              1    4    4    2     11
Cal Baptist                   7    5    3    5     19
 
Goals: Belesis 5, Valavanis 2, Valentine 2, Tarr 1, Matthews 1
 
Saves: Hosni 8
 
UP NEXT
 
The Mountaineers travel back to Lewisburg, Pennsylvania next weekend, taking on Mercyhurst At 11:00 a.m. and Bucknell at 4:00 p.m. on October 11.