COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – Despite slow first-quarter starts in both matches, the Iona University recorded its fourth and season wins today by defeating Chapman University (Orange, CA) 16-12 and University of La Verne (CA) 25-12 at the 2022 Rare Air Challenge hosted here this weekend by the United States Air Force Academy.

Iona 16 Chapman 12

After two first-period ties, Iona (5-7 overall) scored seven unanswered goals in the first half to lead the rest of the way in a 16-12 win over Chapman in this morning's match. Junior Luksa Vlasic (eight shots) and freshman Sole Fratila (nine shots) led the Maroon and Gold (5-7 overall) with six goals each. Senior co-captain Mohamed Refaat (six shots) scored four goals. Iona made 17 goals on 34 shots with ten assists with two each from senior co-captain Justin Ginsberg.

In goal, junior Diego Gomez had 12 saves on 36 Panthers shots, including blocking a five-meter penalty shot, made one steal and had 12 goals against. On defense, the Maroon and Gold had ten steals and blocked two shots. Iona drew ten Chapman kickouts and two five-meter penalties with four kickouts drawn by Vlasic, while being ejected ten times. The Gaels turned the ball over six times. The Gaels scored three goals on ten man-up chances, while the Panthers scored five goals on ten man-up opportunities.

Chapman got on the board first with 1:18 gone in the match. Vlasic pulled the Gaels even with a one-all tie with 5:13 left in the opening period, but the Panthers answered to go back up one 2-1 just 25 seconds later. Fratila's first goal with 3:52 remaining re-tied the score at two. Refaat capitalized on a man-up chance to give Iona 3-2 edge at the three-minute mark. Fratila's second goal continued a 3-0 Iona run for a two-goal 4-2 lead going into the second period.

After Gomez blocked a Chapman five-meter penalty shot, Vlasic drew a Panther's ejection and scored on the man-up advantage for a 4-2 Iona edge with 1:37 gone in the second period. On the Gaels next possession, Refaat buried a five-meter penalty shot drawn by Fratila as Iona went up four 6-2. Continuing a 7-0 two-quarter Iona run, Fratila's third and fourth goals increased the Gaels advantage to six 8-2 with 3:26 to go. After Chapman ended the Iona run to pull within five 8-3, Vlasic answered to up the Gaels edge back to six 9-3 with 2:41 left.  With 13 ticks left, the Panthers sliced the Gaels halftime lead to five 9-4.

Vlasic opened the third period with his fourth score, but the Panthers answered as the Gaels led 10-5 with 1:15 gone.   Fratila's fifth score restored Iona's five-goal margin 11-6 with 6:28 to go. With 2:40 to go, Vlasic's fifth goal upped the Iona edge to six 12-6, but Chapman answered with two scores on its next two possessions to get back within four 12-8 with 1:24 remaining. With 58 seconds left, the Panthers third unanswered goal cut the Gaels lead to three 12-9, but Fratila found the back of the net for the sixth time to give Iona a 13-9 advantage going into the final period.

A Chapman goal opened the fourth period to get the Panthers within three 13-10, but Vlasic's sixth score assisted by Fratila put the Gaels back up four 14-10 with 6:08 on the clock. Refaat's third goal on a man-up chance upped the Iona edge to five 15-10 with 4:24 remaining. Following a Panther's score with 2:28 left, Refaat struck again for a 16-11 Iona lead. After another Chapman goal, Iona ran out the clock for its fourth season win.

Iona 25 La Verne 12

With 13 Gaels scoring a season-high 25 goals, Iona recorded its third straight win this weekend with a 25-12 victory over La Verne this afternoon. Junior James DiSalle and junior co-captain Andrew Miller led the Gaels with four goals each, while Fratila scored three. Refaat, sophomore Luka Nastic, Vlasic and freshman Edward Imm had two goals each.  Senior co-captain Justin Ginsberg, junior Trippe Bauman, sophomore Edward Howaniec, sophomore William Harrington, freshman Robert Freece and freshman Rastko Jevdjovic added one score apiece. Iona made 25 goals on 37 shots with 12 assists.

In goal, junior Diego Gomez had five saves on 21 Leopards shots, made two steals and had 11 goals against. In the first five minutes of fourth quarter, senior Kyle Laufenberg had one save on two Leopards shots and one goal against.  In the final three minutes of the fourth quarter, freshman Aleksandar Slavkovic had two saves on two Leopards shots, had one save, and no goals against. On defense, the Maroon and Gold had 17 steals and blocked two shots. Iona drew eight La Verne kickouts, while being ejected three times. The Gaels turned the ball over six times. The Gaels scored eight goals on all eight man-up chances, while the Leopards scored one goals on four man-up opportunities.

With 1:04 gone in the match, Refaat put Iona on the board first for a 1-0 edge. La Vern took advantage of the man-up chance to knot the game at one, but Fratila's first goal on the Gaels next trip down the pool restored a one-point lead 2-1 with 5:18 left in the opening period. The Leopards evened the score at two, until Vlasic's first goal put the Gaels back up one 3-2 with 4:21 on the clock. After drawing Leopards kick out, Bauman capitalized on the 6-5 chance, followed by DiSalle's score, for a three-goal 5-2 Gaels advantage at the 2:32 mark. Miller's goal continued the 4-0 Gaels run, then two straight La Verne goals trimmed Iona's lead to two 6-4 going into the second period. 

Miller needed only 1:08 to score a breakaway goal for 7-4 Gaels margin, but the Leopards answered on their next chance to slice Iona's edge back to two 7-5 with 6:31 remaining. When Fratila and DiSalle both scored their second goals, the Gaels went back up to four 9-5 with 3:20 to go. Following Imm's goal, Nastic buried a five-meter penalty shot for a six-goal margin 11-5 at the 2:08 mark. Imm's second score ran the Iona streak to five straight for a 12-5 advantage. With 34 ticks left, Howaniec answered a La Verne goal for a 13-6 Iona halftime lead.

After Freece's first goal as a Gael, the Leopards sliced the Iona edge to 14-7 with 1:23 gone in the third period. Over the next two minutes, both teams traded goals with Ginsberg, Miller and DiSalle maintaining a 17-8 Iona edge with 4:59 to go. Two straight Iona goals by Refaat and Fratila upped the Gaels cushion to ten 19-10 with 3:28 remaining.  Miller answered a La Verne score with his fourth goal as Iona led 19-9 at the 2:24 mark. A La Verne goal with 1:34 left gave Iona a 20-11 advantage going into the final period. The Gaels opened the fourth quarter with goals from Jerdjovic and Vlasic for a 11-goal 22-11 cushion with 1:07 gone.   Jerdjovic's second score upped the Iona lead to 23-11 with 4:39 remaining. In the closing 2:23, Nastic and Howaniec answered a La Verne goal to seal Iona's fifth season win. 

UP NEXT

On Sunday, the Gaels wrap up their five-game road trip against the University of Redlands at 10:30 a.m. MDT.

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