Comets Close Mt. SAC Tournament with Battles Against Cuesta and Ventura

WALNUT, CA (9/20/2025) -- Palomar wrapped up play at the Mt. San Antonio College Tournament on Saturday, facing two of the region's toughest programs. The Comets dropped both contests, falling to Cuesta College 15-10 in the morning before dropping an afternoon game to Ventura College 14-8.

Game One: Cuesta 15, Palomar 10

The Comets opened the day on fire, exploding for 10 goals in the first quarter to grab a 10-5 lead over Cuesta. Kaelin Kelley, Jack Fritz, and Mikey Montoro carried the offensive surge, with Kelley netting three, Fritz adding four, and Montoro scoring three in the frame.

But the Cougars regrouped and locked down defensively, holding Palomar scoreless the rest of the way while chipping away at the deficit. Cuesta's Johnny Starr scored four goals and helped lead a balanced attack as Cuesta outscored the Comets 10-0 over the final three quarters. Despite the loss, Palomar showed its offensive potential with the early burst before running into a disciplined Cuesta defense.

Game Two: Ventura 14, Palomar 8

In the afternoon, Palomar squared off with Ventura and again started with strong energy, keeping the game close through three quarters. Kelley scored four times to pace the Comets, while Ramiro Mosquera added two and Fritz and Mikey Montoro chipped in one each. Palomar put together a big third quarter with four goals, narrowing the gap to 10-7.

Ventura, however, pulled away late behind the scoring of Patrik Botkos and Evan Augusta, who combined for six goals. Despite the 14-8 loss, the Comets' balanced attack and ability to push back against a top opponent highlighted the afternoon performance.

Looking Ahead

With the two defeats, Palomar dropped to 5-7 overall but left the tournament battle-tested after four challenging games in two days. The Comets will now turn their attention to UCSD's club team. The two teams will battle it out under the lights on Wednesday at 7:30 pm at Wallace Memorial Pool.