Claremont, Calif. --- The Biola Men's Water Polo Team took on Whittier College at the Axelrood Aquatic Center. Biola got out to a hot start, outscoring the Poets 3-1 in the first period, but the Eagles couldn't hold on to withstand the Poet's impressive second half. 

Whittier scored four goals in the second quarter and then managed to outscore Biola 9-6 in the second half to end up winning the match by a score of 14-10. 

Gavin McKenzie started the first period for the Eagles on fire, netting three of his first four shots. McKenzie and Caleb Hernandez both finished the game with hat tricks for BU.

Nick Murray would slot his lone goal giving Biola a two-goal lead. They would maintain their lead for most of the first half, up until a Whittier goal one minute and 36 seconds before halftime gave the Poets their first lead of the game. 

The second half would see momentum shift to Whittier. Biola put six total shots into the back of the net, but it wasn't enough. Caden Digby, Isaac Demski and Caleb Hernandez secured goals in the third while Noah Ryzner and Hernandez tacked on goals in the fourth. Hernandez's hat trick was paired with two assists, giving the senior an impressive 5-point day.

The Eagles look to split their Saturday against Pomona-Pitzer at 4:30 p.m. This marks Biola's first time playing Pomona-Pitzer since it played the Sagehens in 2021 during Biola Men's Water Polo's first-ever tournament.