IRVINE, Calif. - The WWPA Conference Championships came to a close on Sunday afternoon. In a battle of the No. 1 seeds, the Golden Eagles faced off against the Salem Tigers in the Championship game to determine who would get the ticket to nationals. The 2024 National Collegiate Men's Water Polo Championship at Avery Aquatic Center in Stanford, Calif would be held December 4-6th.

It was the moment everyone was waiting for! At the start, Salem managed to get a lead over Concordia in the first period with five goals to CUI's two. Strong performances from Konstantinos Koulouris, Harry Bentham, and Oscar Garcia Blomback kept the Golden Eagles within reach of the Tigers throughout the game.  

Harry Bentham was responsible for a key penalty shot in the first half that put the Golden Eagles back on their feet. It shocked CUI out of a seven-minute scoreless streak and got the wheels turning. Bentham also furthered Concordia's school record for most career goals, making it an impressive 163 goals overall. 

WWPA Co-Player of the Year Konstantinos Koulouris led the team with a hat trick, two assists, and a steal under his belt. He made the biggest impact for the Golden Eagles in the second half, effectively closing the gap between the two teams. Not to mention, Junior Oscar Garcia Blomback captured his third hat trick of the season. 

There were plenty of fouls and exclusions for both teams, but Concordia still had multiple shot attempts at Salem's cage. Although a few hit the post, the ones that mattered most made it through. 

Kaliq Khan, Lucas Rodriguez, and Kai Young gave the Golden Eagles momentum with goals of their own. There was still a chance for a comeback!

The Green and the Gold rallied as best as they could late in the game. Koulouris and Garcia Blomback were undettered in their offensive onslaught against the Tigers. Goal by goal, Concordia came back from their halftime score of 6-10. Each Concordia goal made the sea of Green and Gold cheer louder and louder. Unfortunately, the final score between CUI and Salem was 12-16. Salem's initial lead contributed to their victory. 

In the end, Concordia took runner-up for the second straight season and closed out the year with an overall record of 14-17.

Three players received All-WWPA tournament team honors. Konstantinos Koulouris and Harry Bentham were named First Team and Carlos Olat was named Second Team. The Concordia men's water polo team had an impressive season and made lasting memories, records, and moments that will be hard to forget.

To view the completed Concordia men's water polo schedule, CLICK HERE.