WHITTIER, Calif. - Nick Kennedy had six goals as the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's water polo team got off to a quick start and maintained a healthy lead throughout as it took a 19-14 road win over Whittier on Wednesday evening at Slade Athletic Center. 

With the win, CMS moves to 6-4 on the year (with all four losses to nationally ranked Division I teams) and 1-0 in the SCIAC, after coming into the day ranked No. 1 in Division III and No. 19 in the nation (all divisions). Whittier slips to 9-4 overall and 1-1 in the league with the loss. 

Kennedy scored on the first CMS possession to stake the Stags to a 1-0 lead. Thomas Walker scored to make it 2-0, and Gavin Netherton scored twice 35 seconds apart to make it 4-0 just 2:47 into the game. 

Donovan Davision answered a Whittier goal to make it 5-1 CMS after the first quarter, and Kennedy and Ivey Gehring scored two straight goals to put the Stags ahead 7-2 early in the second. Jeffrey Koretz, Asher Engelberg and Christopher Petrossian added second quarter goals to help CMS to an 11-5 lead at the break. 

The third quarter saw each team exchange five goals apiece as CMS took a 16-10 lead going into the fourth. Westen Hartel had the final goals of the frame for the Stags. Whittier opened the fourth quarter with two straight goals to put a little pressure on the Stags, closing to 16-12, but Kennedy answered with his sixth goal, and Jack Bryant and Walker sealed it with two late goals. 

Walker finished with three goals, and Netherton had two goals and three assists for the Stags. 

CMS will be back in action when it hosts the Gary Troyer Invitational on Friday and Saturday, with home games on Friday against Mt. St. Mary's (2:45 p.m.) and UC Irvine (6:30 p.m.), and on Saturday against McKendree (11:30 a.m.) and Air Force (5:45 p.m.)