Men's water polo claimed its sixth straight Missouri Valley Division title with a 26-7 victory over Washington University Sunday afternoon at the St. Peter's Rec-Plex in St. Peters, Missouri.  In doing so, the Lions advanced to the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Men's Division I Club Championship with an opportunity to win their fourth consecutive national title.

The Bears, the 2016 CWPA Division III National Champions, were the No. 3 seed heading into the division finals and advanced after stopping the No. 2 seeded Lindenwood B squad 13-10 the day before.  Lindenwood started the Sunday morning clash with a strong counter-attack and solid defense.  It proved too much for Washington to handle as the Lions pulled away for the victory.  Freshman standout Jamie Gambin led Lindenwood with eight goals while Andreja Babic scored five times.  Marc Tahull, Andres Miranda, and Aleksander Cukic each netted two markers.  Scott Kelly, Jacob Jagodzinski, Lachlan Mackenzie, Jarod Lawson, Nikola Vukic, Nikola Nasev, and Mitch Griffin each had one goal.  Babic had a game high four assists and led the defense with two steals.  Lance Clark made three saves and Samuel Beckwith made two in split goaltending duties.
 
The division tournament began on Saturday for Lindenwood with a match-up against No. 5 seed Saint Louis University.  The Lions displayed a fierce defense and balanced offensive attack with seven different players scoring in a 30-4 win.  Gambin led the attack with eight markers, Cukic and Griffin each scored five times, Tahull and Babic four times each, Jagodzinski and Mackenzie two times each, and Lawson once.  Tahull also added four assists and five steals.  Clark and Beckwith each made five saves in the contest.
 
Lindenwood was scheduled to play No. 4 seed Missouri in the second scheduled game of bracket A play on Saturday, but the Tigers were not able to field enough players and forfeited the game 5-0.  That vaulted the Lions into the Missouri Valley Division championship. 
 
Lindenwood will enter the CWPA Men's Division I Club Championship as the national No. 1 seed.  The event will be hosted by Florida State University November 10-12 in Tallahassee, Florida.  The Lions are scheduled to play the host Seminoles in the opening round on that Friday.
 
In other action at the Missouri Valley Division Championship, the Lindenwood B team played three games with a record of 2-1 and finished third.  In the first game for the Lions, they defeated No. 6 seed Missouri S & T 21-6.  Lindenwood held the Miners to just 11 shots on goal in a great defensive performance led by junior Edu Ariste with seven steals, five goals, and three assists. Curro Casado scored five times and Jorge Oliveros and Koal Robson both netted three markers.  Gino Salcedo made two goals and Pol Vizuete, Conor Whitelaw, and Ryan Hastings each scored once.  Freshmen goalkeepers Anthony and Jack Haselhorst combined for five saves.
 
The B squad next played No. 3 seed Washington University in what might have been the most exciting game of the tournament.  In a close match, the Lions kept the score close but couldn't hold off the Bears, falling 13-10. Casado scored three times, Ariste twice, and four other players each had one.  Anthony Coppin had a great game in goal with 11 saves.
 
The third place game on Sunday pitted Lindenwood against Saint Louis University, where the Lions prevailed 10-7.    Two goals each were scored by Oliveros. Ariste, and Robson, while Sean Welsh, Casado, Vizuete, and Salcedo each netted a single marker.  Coppin led the defense with 14 saves in the goal.