SAN JOSE, --  After notching its fifth season win 15-13 against Division II Biola University (CA), the Iona men's water polo fell 15-14 to Fresno Pacific University (CA) on a five-meter penalty shot with 39 seconds left today at San José State University in the Julian Fraser Memorial Invitation sponsored by Santa Clara University.

Iona 15 Biola 13

Despite being outscored 6-3 in the final period, Iona held on for its fifth season win with a 15-13 victory over Biola University (CA) in this morning's match. Senior co-captain Justin Ginsberg, sophomore Andrew Miller, junior Lester Machado, and freshman Luksa Vlasic led the Maroon & Gold with three goals each, while senior co-captain Michael Feeley, sophomore James DiSalle and freshman Luka Nastic had one goal apiece.The Gaels made 15 goals on 32 shots and made 12 assists with four by Ginsberg.

In goal, sophomore Diego Gomez made four saves and one steal with nine goals against in the first half. Junior Kyle Laufenberg made five saves with five goals against in the second half. On defense, Iona made eight steals and blocked one shot. Iona drew ten Biola kickouts with three by Vlasic, while being ejected ten times. The Gaels turned the ball over six times. Iona scored on four of nine man-up chances, while the Eagles scored once on nine chances. 

With 2:14 gone in the match, Miller got the Gaels on board first, followed by straight scores by Machado and DiSalle to give Iona a 3-0 lead with 4:39 left in the opening period. Biola answered with two consecutive goals to cut the Iona lead to one 3-2 with 1:46 remaining. Vlasic's five-meter penalty goal restored the Gaels edge to two 4-2 going into the second period.

Ginsberg opened the second quarter with a man-up goal with 27 ticks gone, then the Eagles got back within two 5-3 at the 6:46 mark. Ginsberg's second score put Iona back up three 6-3 just 1:04 later. Two unanswered Eagles goals trimmed the Gaels advantage to one 6-5 with 1:23. With 17 seconds remaining to halftime, Gomez was ejected, but the Iona defense stopped a sure Biola goal.

With 22 seconds gone in the third period, Miller's second goal on a man-up chance gave the Gaels two-goal edge 7-5.  Machado, Miller and Vlasic continued a 4-0 Iona run to up the Gaels cushion to five 10-5 with 3:16 on the clock.   After a Biola goal, Ginsberg's second score put Iona back up five 11-6 with 2:38 left. Nastic's goal followed another Eagles score for a 12-7 Gaels margin going into the final period.

Two straight Eagles scores in the opening 1:05 of the fourth period pulled Biola back within three 12-9, then Feeley answered to restore a four-goal edge 13-9 with 6:34 left. Two more consecutive Eagles goals cut the Gaels lead back to two 13-11 with 4:46 remaining. Vlasic's third score from six meters put the Gaels back up three 14-11. But the Eagles answered on their next two possessions to chop Iona's lead to one 14-13 at 3:18. With 11 ticks remaining, Machado's third goal off a foul preserved the Gaels fifth season win.

Fresno Pacific 15 Iona 14

In a seesaw battle that featured four lead changes and eight ties, Iona fell 15-14 to Fresno Pacific this afternoon on a five-meter penalty shot with 39 seconds left. Vlasic led Iona with five goals on eight shots, while junior Mohamed Refaat scored three. Junior Lester Machado and freshman Trippe Bauman had two goals apiece, and senior co-captain Michael Feeley and freshman Luka Nastic each scored once. Iona had 14 goals on 32 shots, and Ginsberg made the Gaels lone assist.

In goal, Gomez made four saves and one steal with 11 goals against. Laufenberg made three saves with four goals against. On defense, Iona made 12 steals with three by Ginsberg, who also blocked a shot. Iona drew six Fresno Pacific kickouts with two each by Miller and Ginsberg, while being ejected nine times. Machado and Vlasic were both disqualified with three exclusions each. The Gaels turned the ball over 12 times. 
  
After Refaat put Iona on the board first with 1:37 gone in the match, three straight Fresno Pacific goals gave the Sunbirds a 3-1 edge with 5:17 left in the opening period. Feeley answered on the Gaels next possession to pull Iona back within one 3-2 with 4:29 remaining.

With 51 ticks gone in the second period, Machado tied the game for the second time at three each.  On their next trip down the pool, the Sunbirds scored to go back up one 4-3 with 6:41 on the clock.  Just 55 seconds later, Vlasic knotted the game at four each. With 1:31 on the clock, Bauman put Iona back on top 5-4 at halftime. Bauman's second score continued a 3-0 Iona run until Fresno Pacific hit two straight goals to chop the Gaels edge back to two 9-7 with 2:38 left.

On the Gaels first third-period possession, Refaat capitalized on a 6-5 advantage to give Iona a two-goal lead 6-4. The Sunbirds answered on their own man-up change to trim the Gaels lead to one 6-5 with 5:24 left.  Machado's cross-cage goal followed by Nastic's score upped the Iona cushion to three 8-5 at the 3:59 mark. After Refaat's third goal with 1:50 to go, two unanswered Sunbirds goals reduced the Gaels edge to one 10-9 going into the fourth period. After Fresno Pacific tied the score at ten, Vlasic's second goal gave Iona back the lead 11-10 with 37 ticks gone in the fourth quarter.   

The Sunbirds knotted the match again at 11, but Vlasic's third score put the Gael ahead 12-11 with 6:08 on the clock. After Fresno Pacific scored a man-up goal, Vlasic's fourth goal gave one back a one-goal 13-12 with 3:11 remaining. Once again, the Sunbirds answered for the match's seventh tie at 13 all, but Vlasic's sixth score gave the Gaels one-goal edge 14-13 with 2:27 left. Fresno Pacific immediately scored at the other end of the pool for an eighth tie 14-14 at the 2:09 mark. A five-meter penalty shot goal by Fresno Pacific with 39 seconds left gave the Sunbirds the lead and the win.

UP NEXT

On Sunday at Santa Clara University, the Gaels play the host Broncos at 1:40 p.m. ET, and the United States Air Force Academy at 5:40 p.m. ET.

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