Story from the Glendale News-Press
Thursday, October 25, 2001

Nitros sputter early, but prove too much at end
After scoring just twice in the first quarter, Glendale boys'
water polo team beats winless Hoover, 15-5.
By MELIK-STEPANYAN

NORTHWEST GLENDALE -- Slacking on defense, generating little offense, allowing a goal from mid-pool, and committing a careless amount of turnovers.
This was the short list of the many miscues Glendale had in the first quarter of its Pacific League match at Hoover.
But Nitro seniors Matt Hahn, Lars Speer, Jonathan Lee and goalkeeper Jerry Sung proved exactly why Glendale is tied for first place in league and the Tornadoes are still winless after 16 matches this season.
After scoring just two goals in the first seven minutes, Glendale's offense played to its potential and its defense smothered the Tornadoes in a 15-5 victory Wednesday at Hoover High.
"In the first quarter we were playing a little loose because we didn't expect the Hoover game to be a challenge," Glendale assistant coach Alfred Tamazyan said."
In the first quarter we had our hips down. When you have your hips down, you're playing catch-up. You have to have your hips up to swim right with them."
In times of need, Glendale has turned to the senior quartet to lead an experienced team to a possible league title.
With a strong supporting cast surrounding them, the seniors have shared the scoring responsibilities, sometimes scoring at will, against undecided defenses trying to figure out who to focus on.
On Wednesday, it was Lee (five goals), Hahn (four) and Speer (three) that did most of the damage against a smaller Hoover team. "This was a set-up game for us to run the things we run," Tamazyan said. "[Our seniors are] our core. Given the fact that these guys are smart, they really know what's going on.
" The rest of [the players] are role players and they know their role. Their role is to help the seniors win a league championship."
In the opening minutes, the Tornadoes slowed the pace of the match, draining the shot clock for every second. But Glendale reacted by pressuring the ball, forcing 28 turnovers that led to easy counter-attacks.

BOX SCORE Glendale*2*7*2*4*--*15 Hoover*1*1*1*2*--*5 Glendale -- Lee 5 goals and 5 steals. Hahn 4 and 5 steals. Speer 3. Simonian. Torosyan. Galstyan. Amirian 4 assists. * Saves: Sung 5. Hoover - Hairapetian 3 goals. Haney 2 and 5 steals. * Saves: Reyhanian 5.