Men's Water Polo Struggles to Stay Afloat

The Men's Water Polo team lost their first home game of the season.

Los Angeles Valley College Monarchs' Arman Hunanyan and Santa Monica College Corsairs' Mikhai Davis during the men's water polo match on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, at the SMC Aquatics Center in Santa Monica, Calif. The Corsairs lost 23-4. (Nicholas McCall | The Corsair)

Sept. 28, 2022. Santa Monica, Calif. (Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair)

Santa Monica College Corsairs' Kristian Miranda and Los Angeles Valley College Monarchs' Sahak Abrahamyan during the men's water polo match on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, at the SMC Aquatics Center in Santa Monica, Calif. The Corsairs lost 23-4. (Nicholas McCall | The Corsair)

Santa Monica College Corsair Nolan McBride (left) attempting to block a goal from Los Angeles Valley College Monarch Sam Krboyan (right) during a recent home game. The Corsairs lost 23-4. Santa Monica, Calif. on Sept. 28, 2022. (Caylo Seals | The Corsair)

The Santa Monica College Corsairs Men's Water Polo team warm uo before their match with The LA Valley Monarchs at the SMC Swim Center on Sept. 28, 2022. The Corsairs lose to the Monarchs 23-4. Santa Monica, Calif. (Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair)

Los Angeles Valley College Monarchs Men's Water Polo Goalie, Daniel Smkovsky, blocks the ball during the men's water polo match on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, at the Santa Monica College Aquatics Center in Santa Monica, Calif. The Corsairs lost 23-4. (Nicholas McCall | The Corsair)

Santa Monica College Corsairs Aadyn Kani (6) and Zaliyah Quant (4) listens to their coach Brian Eskridge before their water polo match against the LA Valley Monarchs on Sept. 28, 2022 at the SMC Swim Center. Santa Monica, Calif. (Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair)

Los Angeles Valley College Monarchs' Sam Krboyan during the men's water polo match against the Santa Monica Corsairs on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, at the SMC Aquatics Center in Santa Monica, Calif. The Corsairs lost 23-4. (Nicholas McCall | The Corsair)

Santa Monica College Corsairs' Landon Sodi and Los Angeles Valley College Monarchs' Max Ayrapetyan during the men's water polo match on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, at the SMC Aquatics Center in Santa Monica, Calif. The Corsairs lost 23-4. (Nicholas McCall | The Corsair)

Santa Monica College Corsairs Men's Water Polo Goalie Nolan McBride fails to block the final goal of the match by the Los Angeles Valley College Monarchs on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, at the SMC Aquatics Center in Santa Monica, Calif. The Corsairs lost 23-4. (Nicholas McCall | The Corsair)

Santa Monica College Corsairs' Preston Halbert (right) and Los Angeles Valley College Monarchs' Santiago Bernal (left) during the men's water polo match on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, at the SMC Aquatics Center in Santa Monica, Calif. The Corsairs lost 23-4. (Nicholas McCall | The Corsair)

Sept. 28, 2022. Santa Monica, Calif. (Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair)

Santa Monica College Corsair Landon Sodi blocking a goal attempt during a home game against the Los Angeles Valley College Monarchs. The Corsairs lost 23-4. Santa Monica, Calif. on Sept. 28, 2022. (Caylo Seals | The Corsair)

Los Angeles Valley College Monarchs' Arman Hunanyan during the men's water polo match against the Santa Monica College Corsairs on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, at the SMC Aquatics Center in Santa Monica, Calif. The Corsairs lost 23-4. (Nicholas McCall | The Corsair)

Los Angeles Valley College Monarchs' Niki Matheisen during the men's water polo match against the Santa Monica College Corsairs on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, at the SMC Aquatics Center in Santa Monica, Calif. The Corsairs lost 23-4. (Nicholas McCall | The Corsair)

Sept. 28, 2022. Santa Monica, Calif. (Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair)

Santa Monica College Corsair Men's Water Polo Utility, Ocean Pogorel (2) watches as a ball whizzes by at the match against the LA Valley Monarchs on Sept. 28, 2022. The Monarchs beat The Corsairs by 23-4. Santa Monica, Calif. (Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair)

Santa Monica College Corsair Men's Water Polo Driver, Hiro Inoki cheers for his team mates from the sidelines during their match against the LA Valley Monarchs on Sept. 28, 2022. The Corsairs lost to The Monarchs 23-4. Santa Monica, Calif. (Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair)

Santa Monica College Corsair, Sept. 28, 2022. Santa Monica, Calif. (Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair)

Santa Monica College Corsair Men's Water Polo Driver, Hiro Inoki (16) takes a shot at the LA Valley Monarch's net as Santiago Bernal (2) and the goalie of La Valley Monarchs takes guards at the post. Sept. 28, 2022. Santa Monica, Calif. (Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair)

Sept. 28, 2022. Santa Monica, Calif. (Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair)

Jim McMillan, coach of the LA Valley Monarchs watches from the sidelines as Santa Monica College Corsairs and the Monarchs fight for the ball. The Corsairs lost to the Monarchs, 23-4. Sept. 28, 2022. Santa Monica, Calif. (Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair)

Both teams line up and shake hands after the match, with The LA Valley Monarchs winning. The final score of the match is 23-4. Sept. 28, 2022. Santa Monica, Calif. (Ee Lin Tsen | The Corsair)

On Wednesday, Sept. 28, the Santa Monica College (SMC) Corsairs Men’s Water Polo team played against the Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC) Monarchs. The Corsairs lost to the Monarchs with a score of 23-4.

The Monarchs started off their offensive production strong with six points in the first quarter, while the Corsairs had no offensive production. The Monarchs continued their offensive in the second quarter, scoring four points. Driver Kristian Miranda was able to get a point for SMC with just over three minutes remaining in the quarter, ending the second quarter with a score of 10-1.

Miranda opened the scoring in the third quarter, making the score 10-2 with just over a minute gone in the quarter. The Monarchs added four more points to their lead in the quarter, and Driver Mikhai Davis closed out the third quarter scoring with another point for SMC with eight seconds to spare, ending the quarter at 14-3.

Two minutes into the fourth quarter, Dylan Hughes scored a point for the Corsairs, making the score 14-4. That would be all the offensive production for SMC in the game. LAVC added nine points onto their already substantial lead, ending the game with a score of 23-4. SMC is now 0-1 in the Western State Conference, and 4-5 on the season.

The next game is on Friday, Sept. 30 at 7 a.m. at Saddleback College. The next home game will be on Friday, Oct. 14 at 8 a.m.

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