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Iona University Athletics

Water Polo

Men's Water Polo Jack Breslin / Garrett Murray - Assistant Director of Athletic Communications

Iona Water Polo Secures Win Over Connecticut College

Box Score
PROVIDENCE, RI – Rebounding from yesterday's opening match loss, the fifth-seeded Iona University men's water polo team defeated seven-seeded Connecticut College 21-9 at the Northeast Water Polo Conference Championships hosted by Brown University.

GAME SUMMARY

Graduate co-captain Justin Ginsberg led the Gaels  with four goals, while sophomore Luksa Vlasic scored three. Senior co-captain Mohamed Refaat, junior co-captain Andrew Miller, freshman Matthew Mischlich, freshman Sole Fratila and freshman Coby Scanlon had two goals apiece. Senior Timothy Bergamini, junior James DiSalle, junior Jack Folan and freshman Robert Fleece added one goal each.Iona scored 21 goals on 39 shots with 20 assists with three from Miller.

In goal, senior Kyle Laufenberg had eight saves on 16 Connecticut shots, one steal, three assists and six goals against in the first half. Freshman Aleksandar Slavkovic had seven saves on 12 Connecticut shots, two assists and three goals against in the second half.

On defense, the Maroon and Gold made 15 steals with three each by sophomore Edward Howaniec and Mischlich. Iona blocked three shots with two from Miller. Iona drew 12 Connecticut kickouts with three by Scanlon, including two five-meter ejections, while being ejected four times. Freshman Schuyler Newberger was disqualified with three ejections. The Gaels turned the ball over seven times. Iona scored five man-up goals on 12 opportunities, while Connecticut made one man-up goal on four chances. Iona won all four swim offs.

With 32 seconds gone in the match, Miller got the Gaels on the board first, followed by goals from Vlasic and Ginsberg on consecutive possessions for a 3-0 Iona lead with 6:07 left in the opening period. After Connecticut's first score, Scanlon put Iona back up three 4-1 with 4:56 remaining. The Camels answered on their next trip down the pool, but with Miller's second score Iona regained a three-goal 5-2 edge at the 4:10 mark. With 24 seconds left, DiSalle capitalized on a man-up chance to give the Gaels a four-goal 6-2 advantage going into the second period.

After Ginsberg's second goal on a man-up chance with 40 ticks gone, the Camels trimmed the Gaels edge back to four 7-3 only 20 seconds later. Refaat's man-up put Iona back up five 8-3, but Connecticut answered to trim the Gaels lead back to four 8-4 with 4:56 on the clock. After another Camels goal, Vlisac put Iona back up five 9-4, then two straight Connecticut goals sliced Iona's edge to three 9-6 with 2:32 left. On a 4-0 Gaels run in the final 2:18, two straight goals from Ginsberg, Vlasic's second score and Refaat's five-meter penalty shot resulted in a six-goal 13-6 Iona halftime lead.

Fratila's lob with 1:14 gone in the third period put Iona up eight 14-6. Folan followed to give Iona a nine-goal advantage at the 4:38 mark. Continuing an 8-0 Iona run and holding the Camels scoreless, Fratila and Scanlon added their second goals for a 17-6 Gaels cushion going into the final period.

Stretching a 11-0 Iona streak, Bergamini needed only 16 seconds, followed by Mishlich's two goals for a 20-6 Gaels lead with 5:46 remaining in regulation. After three straight Connecticut scores in the closing 2:50, Fleece scored with 22 ticks left to seal the 21-9 win.

Pleased with today's win after yesterday's loss, Iona head coach Brian Kelly was confident about ending the season tomorrow on a positive note. "It's nice to get a win," Kelly said. "It's a tough game to play after losing the way we did yesterday. There is only one way to move forward and that's ending the season with a win tomorrow."

UP NEXT

On Sunday, the Gaels face the six-seeded Massachusetts Institute of Technology at 9 a.m.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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Players Mentioned

Timothy Bergamini

#24 Timothy Bergamini

CD
6' 2"
Senior
James DiSalle

#19 James DiSalle

C
6' 0"
Junior
Jack Folan

#15 Jack Folan

CD
6' 4"
Junior
Justin Ginsberg

#5 Justin Ginsberg

CD
6' 4"
Graduate Student
Edward Howaniec

#11 Edward Howaniec

UT
6' 0"
Sophomore
Kyle Laufenberg

#1 Kyle Laufenberg

GK
6' 0"
Senior
Andrew Miller

#12 Andrew Miller

UT
6' 3"
Junior
Mohamed Refaat

#3 Mohamed Refaat

UT
5' 10"
Senior
Luksa Vlasic

#9 Luksa Vlasic

C
6' 2"
Sophomore
Schuyler Newberger

#16 Schuyler Newberger

UT
6' 0"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Timothy Bergamini

#24 Timothy Bergamini

6' 2"
Senior
CD
James DiSalle

#19 James DiSalle

6' 0"
Junior
C
Jack Folan

#15 Jack Folan

6' 4"
Junior
CD
Justin Ginsberg

#5 Justin Ginsberg

6' 4"
Graduate Student
CD
Edward Howaniec

#11 Edward Howaniec

6' 0"
Sophomore
UT
Kyle Laufenberg

#1 Kyle Laufenberg

6' 0"
Senior
GK
Andrew Miller

#12 Andrew Miller

6' 3"
Junior
UT
Mohamed Refaat

#3 Mohamed Refaat

5' 10"
Senior
UT
Luksa Vlasic

#9 Luksa Vlasic

6' 2"
Sophomore
C
Schuyler Newberger

#16 Schuyler Newberger

6' 0"
Freshman
UT