No. 4 Cal handed the No. 19 Saint Mary's men's water polo team a 22-8 loss Thursday, Sept. 24, in the first-ever meeting between the two East Bay programs. Saint Mary's entered the match at 5-6 on the season, while Cal came in at 8-2, according to Cal Athletics.

The game at Cal's Spieker Aquatics Center in Berkeley marked a homecoming for Gaels head coach James Lathrop, who once captained the Golden Bears' water polo squad. Lathrop graduated from Cal in 2000 before going on to coach at Miramonte High School in Orinda and direct the boys program at Lamorinda Water Polo Club in Lafayette.

Cal jumped out to a 5-0 lead despite three early saves from goalkeeper Federico Castrucci. Senior Mason Black broke through with 1:38 left in the first quarter, converting a Leo Hachem shot that came off the post. Junior Noah Bigara followed with an acrobatic goal to close the period.

Hachem added his team-leading 26th goal of the season in the second quarter, but the Gaels trailed by 10 at halftime.

Bigara and Black took over in the second half. Bigara opened the third quarter with another goal, and Castrucci continued his strong play in net. Black scored twice more and Bigara once more, giving each player a hat trick on the night.

Bigara became the first Gael to record hat tricks in back-to-back games this season. He has nine goals in his last four matches and leads the team with 44 drawn exclusions. Black's three-goal performance was his third such game this season, pushing his total to 17 goals, second on the squad behind Hachem.

Hachem also picked up an assist against Cal. He ranks eighth in the conference in goals and seventh in points with 34, according to SMC Athletics.

Castrucci finished with eight saves, lifting his season total to 58, fifth in the conference. Four Gaels scored in the game, bringing the program's inaugural-season goal scorers to 17 players.

Lathrop said when he was hired that the job was meaningful because of his ties to the local water polo community. He also earned his teaching credential at Saint Mary's, giving him connections to both schools.

Saint Mary's hosts Diablo Valley College for an exhibition at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, in Moraga.