PROVIDENCE, RI – Closing out its 2022 season with a win, the Iona University defeated the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 11-7 for the third time this year at the Northeast Water Polo Conference Championships hosted here this weekend by Brown University.

GAME SUMMARY

In their final Iona match, graduate co-captain Justin Ginsberg and senior co-captain Mohamed Refaat led the Gaels with three goals each, while junior co-captain Andrew Miller scored twice. Junior Trippe Bauman, junior James DiSalle, sophomore Luksa Vlasic added one goal apiece. Iona scored 11 goals on 23 shots with ten assists with two each from Ginsberg, Miller and Vlasic.

In goal, senior Kyle Laufenberg, also playing his final game for the Gaels, had 18 saves on 25 MIT shots (72 percent), including stopping a five-meter penalty shot, four steals,  and seven goals against. On defense, the Maroon and Gold made 15 steals with four by Miller. Iona blocked six shots with two each from Ginsberg and Miller. Iona drew 16 MIT kickouts with four by Miller, including two five-meter ejections, while being kicked out 11 times, including two five-meter penalty ejections. 

The Gaels turned the ball over 21 times. Iona scored four man-up goals on 14 opportunities, while MIT made three man-up goals on eleven chances. Freshman Coby Scanlon won all for swim offs.  

With 1:13 gone in the match, Miller put Iona on the board, followed by Refaat for a 2-0 Gaels lead with 6:10 left in the opening period. MIT's first score just 51 ticks later narrowed the Iona lead to one 2-1. After an Iona timeout, Miller's second goal on a man-up chance restored the Gaels edge to two 3-1 with 4:02 on the clock. Vlasic capitalized on a 6-on-5 chance to increase the Iona advantage to three 4-1 at the 2:05 mark. Two straight Engineers goals, including a five-meter penalty score, sliced the Gaels margin to one going into the second period.

Ginsberg scored on 6-4 advantage with 37 seconds gone in the second period to restore a two-goal 5-3 Iona lead.   Refaat's second goal on a five-meter penalty shot upped the Gaels edge to three 6-3 with 3:40 to go. Ginsburg's second goal continued a 3-0 Iona run until MIT scored with 1:01 left for a 7-4 Iona halftime lead, as Refaat blocked a last-second MIT shot.

An Engineers score with 2:32 gone in the third period chopped the Gaels edge back to two 7-5, but DiSalle put Iona back up three 8-5 on Iona's next possession with 4:41 left. After Laufenberg stopped a MIT five-meter penalty shot, the Engineers converted a man-up chance to cut the Gaels lead to two 8-6 going into the fourth quarter.

Ginsberg opened the fourth period with his third goal on a 6-4 advantage to put Iona up three 9-6 with 43 seconds gone. MIT answered on its next possession to pull within two 9-7 with 6:20 remaining. After Vlasic missed a five-meter penalty shot, Refaat's third score off the rebound gave Iona a three-goal edge 10-7 with 3:34 on the clock.   Bauman's man-up goal with 1:44 left sealed the 11-7 season-closing win.

Iona head coach credited his three seniors and one graduate student with making "outstanding" contributions to the season-ending victory.

"It was a great win today for our seniors," Kelly said. "All four played outstandingly and were instrumental in the victory.  

"Timmy Bergamini brought great energy and defense and hustle. Justin was the calming force in a physical game versus a team we played for the third time this season. Moe was excellent on both sides of the pool. Kyle capped off a tremendous season with one of his best performances holding a very good MIT team to seven goals with 18 saves."

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