NEW ROCHELLE, NY – After scoring just one first half goal, the Iona men's water polo team's 4-3 third quarter rally fell short in a 12-6 North East Water Polo Conference loss to No.13 ranked Princeton to wrap up the season's home schedule this morning at Hynes Pool.

Freshmen Luka Nastic and Luksa Vlasic led the Maroon & Gold with two goals each. Senior co-captain Justin Ginsberg and sophomore Mohamed Refaat had one score apiece. The Gaels scored six goals on 30 shots and made four assists.

In goal, junior Kyle Laufenberg made 12 saves on 29 Princeton shots and one steal with 12 goals against. On defense, Iona made nine steals with four by Refaat and blocked two shots. Iona drew seven Princeton kickouts with two by Ginsberg, while being ejected ten times. Refaat was disqualified with three exclusions. The Gaels turned the ball over nine times. Iona scored on one of eight man-up chances, while the Tigers scored two times on ten chances. 

GAME SUMMARY

With 2:44 gone in the match, Princeton got on the board first on a five-meter penalty shot followed by another score for a 2-0 advantage with 3:02 left in the opening period. The Gaels failed to score in the first quarter, including two shallow-end five-meter penalty chances.

Just 30 ticks into the second period, the visitors tacked on another score to continue their 3-0 run. Refaat scored the Gaels first goal of the match just 1:33 later to trim the Tigers edge to two 2-1 with 5:57 to go. Princeton answered on its next possession which sparked a 4-0 run to go up six 7-1 at halftime. Iona scored one goal on 12 shots in the first half.

Nastic opened the second half with the Gaels second goal to cut the Tigers edge back to five 7-2 with only 35 seconds gone in the third period. Vlasic found the back of the net followed by Ginsberg to slice the Princeton edge to three 7-4 on a 3-0 Gael rally with 4:48 left. 

After two consecutive Tigers goals, Vlasic's second score pulled the Gaels back within four 9-4 with 45 seconds remaining. Twenty seconds later another Princeton goal gave the visitors a 10-5 lead going into the final period. With 2:14 gone in the fourth quarter, Nastic's second score got Iona back within four 10-6. Princeton sealed its win 12-6 with two straight goals in the closing 3:17.

UP NEXT

On Thursday, the Gaels travel to Fordham University for a 7 p.m. road match against the no. 17 ranked Rams.

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