ANNAPOLIS, MD –   After notching its first season win with an 18-14 win over Johns Hopkins University in the morning, the Iona men's water polo team fell 18-9 to the hosting United States Naval Academy in the finale of the 2019 Navy Open.

Iona 18, Johns Hopkins 14

Rebounding from yesterday's two season-opening losses, the Maroon & Gold mounted a 9-1 second-quarter run in the team's first victory of the 2019 season.

Junior Brett Hofer and sophomore German Rodriguez led the Gaels with three goals each, while senior Quinn Lloyd, junior Patrick Hudak, sophomore Michael Feeley and freshman Lester Machado had two scores apiece. Junior Andrew Brozovic, sophomore Justin Ginsberg, freshman Mohamed Refaat and freshman Timothy Bergamini each had one goal. The Gaels made 11 assists with three by Rodriguez and two each by senior Philip Wachowski and freshman Phillip Richman.

On defense, the Gaels made nine steals with two by Lloyd, and Iona had two blocked shots. The Gaels forced 11 Blue Jays kickouts with three each by Hudak and Refaat, while being ejected 17 times, and making 11 turnovers. Brozovic was disqualified with three ejections. Iona scored on four of eight man-up chances, while Johns Hopkins capitalized on eight of 16.

In goal, senior Jorge Andres Torres made nine saves on 19 Johns Hopkins shots. He also registered three steals, while allowing four goals against in the first half. Senior Michael Banks made three saves on 12 Blue Jays shots, including a five-meter penalty shot save, in the second half. Johns Hopkins had 10 second half goals.

Lloyd needed only 1:18 to put the Gaels on the board first. That sparked a 3-0 first-period run with goals by Rodriguez and Hofer. But the Blue Jays rallied with two straight goals to pull within one, 3-2, with 2:37 on the clock. On the Gaels next possession just 15 ticks later, Machado put Iona back up by two, until the Blue Jays cut that lead back to one with 1:56 remaining.

Rodriguez opened the second period with his second goal on a man-up chance. Johns Hopkins answered on a 6-4 advantage with Torres ejected to pull back within 5-4 at the 6:30 mark. Over the next 6:15, eight straight Iona scores gave the Gaels a nine-goal, 13-4, lead at halftime.

Hudak's goal with 29 seconds gone in the third period upped the Gaels edge to ten until the Blue Jays answered on their next possession. Rodriguez hit his third goal with 7:02 remaining, then Johns Hopkins scored two straight goals to trim Iona's lead to eight 15-7 at the 4:40 mark. After Hofer's third score with 4:23 left, Johns Hopkins chopped the Iona advantage to 16-8 going into the final period.

In the fourth quarter, Johns Hopkins outscored Iona 6-2 with goals by Lloyd and Hudak as the Gaels held on for the win.

Navy 18, Iona 9

After leading in the opening minute, then tying the score twice in the first quarter, Iona could not recover from a 12-6 halftime deficit. The Gaels eventually fell by a score of 18-9 to host Navy in the weekend's second match.

Hudak and Rodriguez led the Gaels with two goals each. Hofer, Lloyd, Brozovic, Machado and Richman had one score apiece. Iona made five assists.

In goal, Torres made 11 saves on 30 Navy shots. He had three steals and had 16 goals against in the first three quarters. In the fourth quarter, Banks made four saves on six Navy shots to go along with two steals and two goals against. Freshman Kyle Laufenberg made one save on one Navy shot in the closing minute.

On defense, the Maroon & Gold swiped nine steals. The Gaels forced five Navy kickouts, while being ejected ten times. Ginsburg was disqualified with three ejections. Iona committed seven turnovers. The Gaels scored on one of five man-up chances, while the Midshipmen capitalized on four of nine.

Iona struck first on Hudak's goal with 32 seconds gone in the match. Navy answered 20 seconds later on its first possession to tie the match at one, then pulled ahead by one with 6:30 left in the opening period. Hofer tied the score for the second time at two all. Over the next 5:37, the hosts took off on a 5-0 run, including a five-meter penalty goal, to go ahead 7-2.  Rodriguez got Iona back within four 7-3 with 24 seconds left.

With 36 ticks gone in the second period, Richman's first collegiate goal cut the Navy edge to three 7-4, but the Midshipmen answered on their next possession. The Gaels crept back within three on Lloyd's score with 5:37 on the clock but Navy tacked on four straight goals to eventually hold a 12-6 haltime lead.

In the opening 3:32 of third period, Navy hit two straight goals to up its edge to 14-8. Rodriguez's second score got Iona within seven with 3:05 on the clock. After trading scores, with two consecutive scores in the closing 2:20, the hosts led 17-9 going into the final period.

Both squads scored one goal in the final period with Machado hitting the back of the net for Iona with 59 seconds left.

COACH'S THOUGHTS

Satisfied with the squad's first win, especially ten players scoring, Iona assistant coach Alex Williams saw much improvement during the weekend despite the loss to Navy.

"It was important to get our first win of the season today," Williams said. "The guys solved a lot of problems early by communicating on defense and attacking their shooting lanes on offense. Our shot volume increased significantly.

"We rematch with these teams this weekend, and it will be a major priority this week to build a chemistry with our freshmen and our upper classmen. We intend to be more competitive with Navy the second time around."

UP NEXT

The Gaels travel to the Princeton Tournament hosted by Princeton University to face Wagner College on Friday, Sept. 13 at 3:45 p.m. On Saturday, Sept. 14, the Gaels have rematches with Navy at 8 a.m. & Johns Hopkins at 3:30 p.m.

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