Story from the Glendale News-Press
Thursday, October 11, 2001

Glendale Sinks CV, 22-14
Nitro boys' water polo team puts together complete effort
to knock off Falcons for first time since 1998.
By HAMLET NALBANDYAN

SOUTHEAST GLENDALE -- Glendale High boys' water polo Coach Pat Lancaster remembers last year's defeats. Two fourth-quarter breakdowns cost the Nitros a chance at victory against Crescenta Valley, and more importantly, a Pacific League crown.
But there would be no breakdowns Wednesday. Lancaster's players made sure of that.
The Nitros came out, from the opening whistle, and made a statement on the Falcons. Glendale beat CV, 22-14, in a Pacific League match at home, its first victory against the Falcons since a 17-16 triumph in 1998. That win broke CV's 38-match winning streak in league.
The Falcons (9-7, 2-1 in league) got outscored, 20-10, after leading, 4-2, with 2:03 left in the first Wednesday.
Glendale's Matt Hahn and Jon Lee did their usual thing. Hahn had six goals, eight steals and three assists and Lee contributed four scores and assisted on seven others.
But it was the play of hole-set Lars Speer and the other Nitros that made the difference. Speer, a three-year varsity player, scored six goals.
"We expect our returners to step up, but all season long, we haven't had a complete performance from our team," Lancaster said. "We got that today.
"No way I expected this to happen [to score 22 goals against CV]. Our younger players played the game of their lives."
Glendale (4-8, 2-1 in league) got three goals from Edgar Shaghoulian and six steals from Narbeh Amirian, both first-year varsity players.
And even though the Nitros couldn't do anything to stop CV's David Mulcahey, who scored a match-high 10 goals, they didn't let and other Falcon get going.
"David is our go-to guy, and our offense runs through him," CV Coach Jan Sakonju said. "But it's not like our other guys weren't getting their shots. They were, but [Glendale goalkeeper] Jerry [Sung] just had our number." Sung stopped 11 shots, and most were in key situations in the game.
In the fourth -- a quarter in which Glendale outscored CV, 6-1 -- Sung made two critical stops on Shane Besedick and Mulcahey, both of which turned into Glendale scores on the other side and put the final nail in CV's coffin.
"We don't want to celebrate too early," Lancaster said. "This is a big win, but we know we'll see CV again. They will make the necessary adjustments, and it's going to take an effort twice as good to beat them next time."
What Lancaster is hinting at is the league finals, which are in early November. If CV beats Arcadia, like it is supposed to do, there will be a three-way tie for first entering the finals.
But with that said, the Nitros and Falcons are still considered the top two teams in league, and, barring any major upsets, should meet one more time in the finals.
That same scenario played out in 1998, where CV won in the finals to share the crown with Glendale.

BOX SCORE CV*4*5*4*1*--*14 Glendale*4*6*6*6*--*22 CV -- Mulcahey 10 goals and 5 steals, Tickner 3, Day 1. * Saves: Craney 6. GLENDALE -- Hahn 6 goals, 8 steals and 3 assists, Speer 6, Lee 4, 7 assists, E. Shaghoulian 3, Amirian 2, 6 steals, Galstyan 1. * Saves: Sung 11.