On Oct. 16, the SMC Corsairs faced off against the San Joaquin Delta Mustangs, defeating them 28-13. The Corsairs’ offense stood out with its high-scoring performance and explosive fast breaks.
To start the game, SMC utility player Ronan Maynes scored a goal against San Joaquin, setting the tone for an explosive performance by the Corsairs’ offense. Mustangs player Gian Carlo Cummins immediately responded with a goal.
The Corsairs went on to score four more goals in under two minutes. Maynes scored a penalty goal and made a daring pass across the pool over defenders to utility player Carson Brill, who found the back of the net.
SMC captain and utility player Kenji Gonzalez attributed the offense’s success to multiple factors.
“A lot of patience, spacing, team chemistry, looking where we are in the water is really what helped us keep our offense strong,” Gonzalez said.
The quarter closed with Corsairs goalkeeper Ricardo Mendoza defending a high-velocity goal attempt by the Mustangs. At the end of the first quarter, the score was 10-2, giving the Corsairs a sizable lead.
The second quarter started with a close-range goal by the Corsairs, followed by a goal from utility player Mac McKinney from the middle of the pool. Soon after, Maynes scored another penalty goal.
The Corsairs scored two additional goals. Maynes assisted on the second with a pass across the pool over defenders. About a minute later, the Mustangs attempted a shot that was narrowly saved by goalkeeper Joe Gabbard.
Toward the end of the quarter, the Mustangs took a midrange shot from the left side of the goal, which was saved by the Corsairs’ goalkeeper.
The Corsairs responded with goals by Maynes and McKinney, who stole the ball near the halfway point, swam down the pool and scored with defenders close behind.
Going into the game, San Joaquin Delta College coach Erin Rios said her plan was “looking out for drives, encounters especially. From what I’ve heard, you guys have a few decent drivers. Just trying not to let you guys out swim us would be our main concern,” Rios said.
The score at the end of the first half was 16-4, Corsairs up.
At the beginning of the third quarter, utility player Jonathan Feinman passed to utility player Ricardo Mendoza, who scored with a shot into the water.
“I think there were some times where we got tired,” Gonzalez said. “They were able to take advantage of that and press us out when our offense was stuck at the half of the pool ... that’s one of the things that we can take in for the next game and that could be a weakness that we could work on.”
About halfway through the third quarter, Brill threw a pass across the pool to a teammate, who scored from close range by lobbing the ball over the goalie’s head. Toward the end of the quarter, Maynes scored off a fast break, taking a shot from about 30 feet away.
Corsairs coach Brian Estridge said he wanted the team to focus on keeping possession and controlling the tempo.
“Controlling the ball offensively, controlling the tempo of the game, scoring, which helps, control that a little bit. And then get the defense set and be able to play against that,” Estridge said.
With 16 seconds left in the third quarter, Mendoza scored off a fast break, bringing the score to 21-7 heading into the fourth quarter.
Maynes started the fourth quarter with a fast break and passed to Brill, who scored from close range.
Mendoza then received a pass about 40 feet from the goal. He moved toward the goal through defenders before lobbing the ball over the goalie’s head and into the right side of the net.
About 10 seconds later, utility player Daniel O’Bryan scored from close range with three defenders attempting to block his shot. O’Bryan scored again midway through the quarter, shooting from close range just to the right of the goalie.
Soon after, utility player Patrick Ashby scored from about 40 feet away. Maynes then started another fast break and scored.
Toward the end of the quarter, Mendoza passed to Maynes near the goal, who scored to bring the final score to 28-13, giving the Corsairs the win.