PHILADELPHIA, PA – After enjoying first-quarter leads in both matches, the Iona men's water polo lost 19-6 to the United States Naval Academy, and 19-15 to host LaSalle University at Kirk Pool this afternoon.
GAME ONE: Navy 19 Iona 6
After taking a one-goal lead, then trailing by only one score at the end of the first period, Iona was outscored 5-1 in the second quarter in a 19-6 loss to Navy in this afternoon's first game. Sophomore Lester Machado led the Gaels with four goals, while senior Andrew Brozovic had two scores. Iona scored six goals on 22 shots and had no assists.
Sophomore goalie Kyle Laufenberg made six saves, including a five-meter penalty block, on 20 Navy shots and allowed 15 goals. In the fourth quarter, freshman goalie Diego Gomez made five saves on ten shots with four goals against. On defense, Iona made six steals with three by junior Justin Ginsberg and blocked two shots. Iona drew nine Navy kickouts, while being ejected eight times.
After Navy struck first with 1:06 gone in the match, Machado put Iona on the board for a one-all tie 17 ticks later. Machado's second score came on a five-meter penalty shot that gave the Gaels a 2-1 edge with 5:39 left in the opening period. The Midshipmen re-tied the score at two on their next trip down the pool. In the closing 1:21, Navy tacked on two straight scores for a 4-2 advantage going into the second period.
Thirty-five seconds into the second quarter, Navy went up 5-2, but Brozovic trimmed the Midshipmen's edge back to two 5-3 at the 6:31 mark. With four unanswered goals over the rest of the period, Navy built an 9-3 halftime cushion. With two more scores in the opening 2:06 of the third period, Navy continued a 6-0 run, until Machado's third score ended the Maroon & Gold's offensive drought to pull Iona within seven 14-7 with 4:22 on the clock.
Four more Midshipmen scores put Navy up 15-4, then Brozovic's second goal cut the lead to 15-5 with 2:13 remaining. In the opening 1:13 of the final period, Navy added two more goals, when Machado's fourth goal lob trimmed the Middies lead to 17-6. Navy sealed the win with two more scores over the rest of the quarter.
GAME TWO: LaSalle 19 Iona 15
Despite a first-quarter lead and a strong second-half defense, Iona's fourth quarter rally fell short against the host LaSalle Explorers in today's second match. Senior Patrick Hudak led the Gaels with four goals, while senior Brett Hofer and freshman Andrew Miller scored three apiece. Brozovic added two goals, and Machado, junior Michael Feeley, and Ginsberg had one goal each. Iona scored 15 goals on 19 shots and had five assists with two from Brozovic.
In goal, Laufenberg made three saves on 13 LaSalle shots and had 13 goals against in the first half. Gomez made three saves on nine shots, including a five-meter penalty save, one assist, one steal and six goals against in the second half. On defense, Iona made eight steals with three by Brozovic and blocked one shot. Iona drew one LaSalle kickouts, while being ejected ten times. Ginsberg was disqualified with three ejections.
After the Explorers struck first just 44 seconds into the match, Miller knotted the match at one with 6:34 left in the opening period. Brozovic's first goal gave the Gaels the lead 2-1 with 4:57 remaining. Thirty-seven seconds later, hosts began on a 6-0 run for an 8-2 edge going into the second period. LaSalle tacked on two more scores before Hofer got Iona back within seven 10-3 with 6:30 remaining. After the Explorers answered, Hofer struck again to cut the home squad's lead to 11-4 at the 3:23 mark. Two straight LaSalle scores upped its edge to 13-4 with 1:54 on the clock. With 25 ticks to go, Hudak reduced the Explorers advantage to 13-5 at intermission.
Iona outscored LaSalle 6-5 in the third period. Hudak needed only 23 seconds to hit his second score, but LaSalle countered for a 14-6 advantage with 1:58 gone. With Bozovic's second goal a minute later, the Gaels crept back within seven 14-7. After LaSalle added two goals, Iona took off on a 3-0 streak on goals by Feeley, Ginsberg and Hudak chopped the Explorers' edge to six with 2:15 left. In the closing 2:02, LaSalle scored twice, but Hudak's fourth goal with eight ticks left made the score 18-11 going into the final period.
In the fourth quarter, the Iona offense rallied with four straight goals, while the defense held LaSalle scoreless until 1:20 left. Machado and Miller opened the fourth quarter with two straight scores, followed by Gomez's five-meter penalty save, as the Maroon & Gold's rally cut the host's edge to five 18-13 with 6:15 left in regulation.
Continuing a 3-0 rally, Miller's third goal followed by Hofer's fourth got Iona back within three 18-15 at the 1:42 mark. But LaSalle sealed the win on their next trip down the pool, as the Gaels failed to close the gap.
UP NEXT
Iona hosts the Explorers tomorrow at 7 pm at the Hynes Center Pool for their one and only home game of the season.
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