NEWBERG, Ore. — Kai Mohl (So., Palos Verdes, Calif.) and Christopher Wazzan (Fr., Westwood, Calif.) both scored three times as No. 4/Sierra Pacific Division Champion the University of California overcame a 3-2 first quarter deficit to defeat No. 10/Mid-Atlantic Division Champion Pennsylvania State University, 11-8, and earn a spot in the 2022 Men’s National Collegiate Club Championship Fifth Place game.
Competing at the Chehalem Aquatic and Fitness Center, the Golden Bears utilized 3-1, 3-2 and 3-2 scoring advantages in the second, third and fourth quarters, respectively, to eke out a three-goal defeat of the Nittany Lions.
California – which previously placed Second (2012), Third (2013, 2014, 2015), Fourth (2018, 2021), Fifth (2017) and Sixth (2018) at the National Collegiate Club Championship – trailed by deficits of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 during the first quarter, but pulled even with PSU 59 seconds into the second quarter as Ty Panitz (Sr., Manhattan Beach, Calif.) buried a shot. Penn State regained the lead at 2:29 as Matthew Fencel (So., Camp Hill, Pa.) lanced in a go-ahead strike, but back-to-back tallies by Mohl (1:10) and Wazzan (37 seconds) staked Cal to its inaugural lead at 5-4 heading into halftime.
The gap grew to 6-4 45 seconds into the third quarter as Colby Alonzo (So., San Anselmo, Calif.) arched in a shot.
However, the Nittany Lions roared back as Jake Berring (Sr., Ambler, Pa.) put away a natural marker at 5:54 and Ethan Lionetti (Sr., Perkasie, Pa.) lined in a man-up chance at 3:13 to knot the combatants at six-all.
From there, California turned up the pressure and began to pull away as Alonzo (2:46, man-up) and Hosny Hussein (Fr., Cairo, Egypt) (1:18) provided the Golden Bears with an 8-6 lead by the closing horn of the third quarter.
Mohl connected on the eventual game-winning goal 25 seconds into the fourth quarter by tossing a shot into the cage to stake California to a three-score lead at 9-6.
Lionetti (6:16) and Ryan McLaughlin (So., Blue Bell, Pa.) (5:32) made it interesting down the stretch by chipping Cal’s lead down to 9-8, but Mohl (1:36, man-up) and Cooper Tunney (So., Orinda, Calif.) (1:03) iced the victory with back-to-back strikes to establish the 11-8 final score.
Wazzan – who accounted for both Golden Bears’ goals in the first quarter – and Mohl – who provided a pair of critical scores in the fourth quarter to keep the Nittany Lions at bay – were joined on the scoring list by Alonzo (two), Pantiz, Hussein and Tunney as six different Cal athletes found the backend of the cage in the contest.
Alex Mueller (Jr,, Manhattan Beach, Calif.) made nine saves in the first half to earn the win for California. Griffin Hord (Fr., Riverside, Calif.) came on at halftime and stopped four shots in the second half.
The Golden Bears will next be in action to battle for Fifth Place at 10:15 a.m. Pacific on Sunday, November 13, versus the winner of a consolation game pitting No. 15/Rocky Mountain Division Champion the University of Colorado and No. 12/Missouri Valley Division Champion McKendree University.
Penn State – which holds prior runner-up (1998), Seventh (2016), Eighth (2014), 10th (2009, 2015, 2017), 11th (2012) and 12th (2005) Place marks – received three goals from McLaughlin, pairs by Berring and Lionetti along with a solo tally by Fencel. Evan Mancini (Jr., Lansdale, Pa.) made 13 saves.
Due to the loss, the Nittany Lions will take on the loser of the Colorado/McKendree game at 9:00 a.m. Pacific on Sunday, November 13, for Seventh Place as the team will either equal either its second (Seventh) or third (Eighth) all-time best mark at the Men’s National Collegiate Club Championship.
| 1st Q | 2nd Q | 3rd Q | 4th Q | – | FINAL | |
| No. 10 Pennsylvania State University |
3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | – | 8 |
| No. 4 University of California | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | – | 11 |
| California Goals: | Christopher Wazzan (3); Kai Mohl (3); Colby Alonzo (2); Ty Panitz; Hosny Hussein; Cooper Tunney | |||||
| Penn State Goals: | Ryan McLaughlin (3); Jake Berring (2); Ethan Lionetti (2); Matthew Fencel | |||||
| Saves: | California – Alex Mueller (9, 14 minutes),Griffin Hord (4, 14 minutes); Penn State – Evan Mancini (13) | |||||
| Exclusions: | California – 6 ; Penn State – 6 | |||||
| Advantage Opportunities: | California – 3-for-6; Penn State – 1-for-6 | |||||
| Sprints: | California – 2-for-4 (1st, 2nd); Penn State – 2-for- 4 (3rd, 4th) | |||||
| Cards/Misconducts: | None | |||||
| Officials: | Jahn Trutna, Robert North | |||||
University of California’s Colby Alonzo (#11) attempts to collect a loose ball against Pennsylvania State University
University of California’s Jack Hughes lofts a pass as the Golden Bears work for a shot against Pennsylvania State University
