Story from the Glendale News-Press
Thursday, September 27, 2001

Nitros' rally falls just short
Glendale boys' water polo team trims 10-point deficit to
just one, but runs out of time in 14-13 Pacific League loss.
By MELIK-STEPANYAN

Arcadia -- Glendale High boys' water polo Coach Pat Lancaster didn't want to start this way.
Lancaster, who replaced Oscar Dorado - who was dismissed as the Nitros' mentor Tuesday - would rather have made his 2001 debut against a weaker opponent. But on Wednesday, Glendale lost its Pacific League opener to host Arcadia, 14-13, for the first time since 1997.
The former Glendale boys' water polo coach, who oversaw just one practice session prior to Wednesday's match, didn't plan on his team surrendering 10 first-half goals.
"I have never seen anything like that," Lancaster said.
But after a motivational speech by Lancaster and assistant coach Alfred Tamazyan, the Nitros came out like a team on a mission in the second half, trimming the lead to one with six seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
With Glendale (0-2, 0-1 in league) pressuring the Apaches, Arcadia goalkeeper Anthony Leung held onto the ball and flung it in the air as time expired, as his team narrowly escaped.
Nitro goalkeeper Gerry Sung was increasingly frustrated with his teammate's incapability to stop Arcadia's counter-attacks, as the Apaches (7-6, 1-0 in league) had their way, scoring 10 unanswered goals to start the match.
Glendale's first goal came with 2:28 left in the second quarter. "[Sung] was getting mad because we were breaking apart as a team," said Glendale's Lars Speer, who had three goals and three assists.
With Leung stopping nearly every shot in sight, Arcadia swimmers sped past Nitro defenders, as Leung assisted on five goals in the first half, three by Scott Langendoen.
The senior, who is on pace to break the Apache single-season scoring record, had six goals in the opening 14 minutes, but only one the rest of the way.
"I think they were surprised by our speed in the first half," Arcadia Coach Janice Clark said. "[Langendoen] really gets himself from defense to offense rapidly."
Glendale responded in the second half by clogging the middle and assigning Aryan Adjamian to pressure the ball outside the four-meter mark.
Arcadia, which had seven shots on goal in the first and second quarters, had five and two in the final two quarters, as the Nitros forced 11 turnovers, and turned them into quick counterattacks.
Nitro senior driver Matt Hahn used his 6-foot-4 frame to create room inside, scoring at willin the second half when he punched in four of his six goals and three of his four assists.

BOX SCORE Glendale*0*3*5*5*--*13 Arcadia*5*5*3*1*--*14 Glendale -- Hahn 6 goals and 4 steals. Speer 3 and 3 assists. Amirian 3 and 3 steals. Lee 1, 3 steals and 3 assists. * Saves: Sung 5. Arcadia -- Langendoen 7 and 3 assists. Sann 4. Rangel 3 and 3 steals. Leung 6 assists and 3 steals. * Saves: Leung 13.