PRINCETON, NJ - After trailing by a single goal at the end of the first period, the Iona men's water polo team fell 12-7 to Navy in a hard-fought rematch of last Sunday's game in Annapolis this afternoon at the 2021 Princeton Invitational hosted by Princeton University.

GAME SUMMARY

Juniors Mohamed Refaat and Lester Machado led the Gaels with three goals each, while freshman Luksa Vlasic scored one goal. Iona made seven goals on 33 shots and had no assists. The Gaels failed to score on two five-meter penalty shots.

In goal, junior Kyle Laufenberg made 17 saves on 30 Midshipmen shots with 12 goals against, and made four steals. On defense, Iona made 12 steals with two each by Refaat and junior Timothy Bergamini, and blocked six shots with three by Machado and two by senior Justin Ginsberg. Iona drew 15 Navy kickouts with four by Vlasic and sophomore James DiSalle and three by sophomore Andrew Miller, while being ejected eleven times. Ginsberg was disqualified with three kickouts.  

With 2:06 gone in the match, Machado got Iona on the board with a man-up goal, but Navy answered to tie the score at one with 5:12 left in the opening period. Refaat scored on another man-up chance to put the Gaels back up one at the 4:29 mark. The Midshipmen re-tied the game at two on their next trip down the pool just 25 ticks later, then took a one-goal 3-2 lead with 2:37 remaining.

Navy continued a 3-0 run into the second quarter to take a 4-2 edge with 54 seconds gone. Refaat's second goal pulled Iona back within one 4-3 only 24 seconds later. Three straight Midshipmen goals gave Navy a four-goal 7-3 advantage at halftime. Machado's second score chopped the Navy edge back to three 7-4 with 6:05 remaining in the third quarter.   

Refaat found the back of the net for his third score 1:22 later as Iona pulled within two 7-5. In the closing 2:25, Navy mounted a five-goal edge 10-5 on three consecutive goals, including two 6-on-5 scores, going into the final period. With two unanswered fourth-quarter goals, Navy sustained a 5-0 run into the final period to seal the win despite two Maroon Gold goals by Vlasic and Machado with :31 seconds remaining.

COACH THOUGHTS

With Friday's second season win and two losses to quality opponents in the tournament, Iona head coach Brian Kelly saw great improvement in his squad's performance.

"We're starting to realize what it takes to be a good team and it's translating into our play," Kelly said.  "It's going to be a fun season."

UP NEXT

On Friday at 7:30 p.m the Gaels host Pennsylvania State Behrend in their home opener at Hynes Pool.

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