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Andrea Martinez

Senior attacker Jude Solis was greeted by teammates as he walked through the celebration tunnel on Senior Day.

California Lutheran University’s Kingsmen water polo team (11-10, 4-5 conference) celebrated Senior Day with a dominant 21-6 win over the California Institute of Technology Beavers (5-16, 0-9 conference) Saturday morning at the Samuelson Aquatics Center. Seven seniors were honored before the match: Bo DuBois, Tre Eade, Zachary Isaac, Nic Mastropoalo, Brody Swarm, Jude Solis and Jack Bradbury. 

According to CLU Sports, the Kingsmen came into this match with a 28-time winning streak against the Beavers, having lost to them last in 2003. Head Coach Tim Settem said they knew it would be a great matchup, but that the Kingsmen’s expectations were like any other match.

“They’re always gonna give us a fight. We are a team that’s very talented and our mentality was just to go in and keep not just that streak, but play our best,” Settem said.

The Kingsmen grabbed the lead early, with senior utility Jack Bradbury netting the first goal of the morning, a lead the team didn’t surrender for the duration of the match. 

By halftime, the Kingsmen were still in control with a 9-2 advantage over the Beavers.

When the third quarter came around, first-year center forward Ceasar Nava, having already scored once in the second quarter, got the ball to the back of the net four times, recording a total of five goals on eight shots.

Nava, the only first-year on the team, said the match was “fun,” and that he was excited to play alongside his team, especially the seniors.

With a total of 21 goals on 38 shots, as well as 18 steals, the Kingsmen’s offense and defense came together to celebrate a dominant win. 

“We knew we were favored but obviously on senior day, [we were] just trying to have good vibes, have fun and try to spread the ball,” Bradbury said.

Settem said there were a few improvements that could have been made on passing and small awareness issues early in the match, but overall the team did “really well.” 

“It was just enjoyable to watch the seniors play together. I think that’s the biggest thing as we go on,” Settem said. “We work on the little things, but to see them really play for each other in those moments and in that game was really what we were looking for.”

Bradbury said the teamwork he saw between the seniors was “beautiful,” and while he is sad to go, he is looking forward to what’s next. 

Having joined Kingsmen water polo as head coach in spring 2024, Settem said he feels as if he has “inherited” these seniors. 

“For them to buy into what I want, and for them to really give me their best, is pretty awesome,” Settem said. “It’s special for them that they get to see the combination of all their work, at least on this day, come to fruition, and now, obviously, we still have some games to go, and they want to keep this thing going.”

As the season winds down, the Kingsmen have three conference matches left, then they face the first round of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament.

“Our next three games are really important, and, you know, I think having the [Occidental] game and having this game to give us a little bit of a springboard and give us some momentum going into the next three is good,” Settem said. 

Settem said the team needs to keep performing at a high level in order to put themselves in a “good position to be in the mix” for the championship.

Nava said there are hopes of winning the entire championship, both on the SCIAC level and the national level. According to Nava, the team will continue to keep the momentum going from these past games.

”[We] just wanna be locked in,” Nava said. “Just keep the streak going … so we can have a good position in the SCIAC and, you know, hopefully win the whole thing, [then] make it to the national championship and win that as well.” 

The Kingsmen will press forward as they prepare for their next SCIAC match against the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens at the Samuelson Aquatics Center on Wednesday, Nov. 5 at 4 p.m.