Tritons Win Title, Qualify for NCAAs

UC San Diego’s men team captured the Western Water Polo Assn. championship and qualified for the national tournament by defeating Air Force, 9-8, in double overtime Sunday at Cal Poly Pomona.

Valhalla High alumnus Michael Nalu scored five goals to lead the Tritons (22-7), who earned a No. 6 seeding in the eight-team NCAA tournament, which starts Friday at Cal State Long Beach. UCSD, the only Division III team to make the tournament, will play No. 3 USC at 4:30 p.m.

Nalu, a sophomore who set a new single-season team scoring record with his 98th goal, was named the WWPA player of the year and was one of three UCSD players selected first-team All-WWPA. The others were senior Kevin Vance and sophomore Mike Warren. Triton Coach Denny Harper was named coach of the year.