Warriors Defeat Rio Hondo in Home Finale

TORRANCE, Calif. – Nate Griffith scored five times as El Camino College outlasted Rio Hondo 14-9 in a South Coast Conference match Wednesday afternoon at the ECC Pool.

Along with Griffith, the Warriors got three goals from Jason Gottschalk and two apiece from Kyle Thorne and Matthew Thorne. Jonas Fahrney and Ryan Winkler also scored and Winkler added a team-high five assists. Nicholas Elias made four saves in the win.

The match was close throughout the opening period with no team taking a multi-goal lead. Griffith beat the buzzer as the first quarter expired, firing a laser from in front of the ECC goal past the Rio Hondo goalie to give the Warriors a one-goal lead after one.

In the second quarter, the Warriors surrendered the first two goals of the period and fell behind by a goal before scoring five straight times to take a 9-5 lead.

That proved the be the difference as the two teams matched each other with three goals in the third before the Warriors scored two insurance goals in the fourth while shutting out the Roadrunners in the final period to secure the victory.

The Warriors will conclude the regular season this weekend at the Saddleback Tournament, which begins Friday morning with a contest against Southwestern at 10:10 a.m.