SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Friday was a rather ceremonious day for the No. 17 Santa Clara University men's water polo team. The Broncos honored nine seniors in a pregame ceremony and clinched the No. 5 seed in next week's West Coast Conference Tournament, all while scoring the most goals they've scored in at least the last 18 years in a 23-13 WCC win over Air Force at Sullivan Aquatic Center.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The No. 17 Broncos (13-10, 2-4 WCC) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period, but Air Force (13-18, 1-4 WCC) scored three goals of its own in the period's final three minutes to make it a one-goal game at 4-3 after the first.
   
• Santa Clara took off in the second period, exploding for six goals while shutting out the Falcons to jump out to a big, 10-3, lead at halftime. Five different Broncos scored goals in the second, with Luke Baird throwing in two of his own, including the final goal of the period for SCU's 10th goal of the game.
   
• The Broncos' offense continued to chug along in the second half, scoring 13 more goals, six in the third period and seven more in the fourth. They needed to keep the offensive pressure up, as the Falcons' offense woke up after halftime, scoring 10 goals to try and get back into it. Air Force never got closer than seven goals, however, and Santa Clara built its lead to as high as 12 at 22-10 with only 2 1/2 minutes remaining.
   
• Riccardo De Simon and Reese Jenican both scored four goals. Baird and Zach Fales tallied three each. Charlie Engs, Henry Engs and Ben Kyrillos all scored two goals. Mason Jaeger, Jack Fisher and Harrison Villella put in one goal apiece. Santa Clara's 23 goals were the most goals its scored in a game since at least the 2007 season. It scored 22 in its 2023 season opener versus UC Merced on Sept. 2, 2023.
   
• Jack Richards led the way for Air Force with three goals.

COMING UP

• The 2024 WCC Championship Tournament begins Friday at Pacific's Chris Kjeldsen Pool at the Douglass M. Eberhardt Aquatics Center in Stockton. The No. 5-seeded Broncos will face No. 4 seed California Baptist at 2 p.m. Fans can find all live coverage links at SantaClaraBroncos.com.