ANNAPOLIS, MD  – The Iona University men's water polo team opened the 2022 campaign with two losses here today with a 13-12 double-overtime loss to Mount Saint Mary's University and a 23-7 defeat to number-one ranked and defending national champions University of California Berkeley at the 2022 Navy Open hosted by the United States Naval Academy.

Mount Saint Mary's 13 Iona 12 (2 OT)

After leading by three goals in the third period, Iona dropped its season opener 13-12 to Mount Saint Mary's in a double-overtime match that featured five ties and two lead changes. Senior co-captain Mohamed Refaat led the Gaels with four goals on five shots, while sophomore Luksa Vlasic scored three on three shots. Graduate student co-captain Justin Ginsberg, junior co-captain Andrew Miller, sophomore Luka Nastic, freshman Coby Scanlon and freshman Edward Imm had one goal each.  

In goal, senior Kyle Laufenberg had 12 saves on 29 Mountaineers shots, had 13 goals against. On defense, the Gaels made 13 steals with five from Refaat.  Iona drew 12 Mount Saint Mary kickouts and two five-meter penalties with four by Vlasic and three by freshman Rastko Jevdjovic, while being ejected nine times.  Iona scored four goals on ten man-up chances, while Mount Saint Mary's scored three goals on nine man-up opportunities.   The Gaels turned the ball over 11 times. The Gaels made 12 goals on 25 shots with 10 assists, including three by sophomore Edward Howaniec.

With just ten seconds gone in the match, Mount Saint Mary's scored first for a 1-0 lead. The Gaels finally got on the board with 1:50 to go in the opening period as Miller began a 3-0 Iona run. Scanlon recorded his first Gael goal with 1:18 on the clock, followed by Nastic as time expired with Iona ahead 3-1 going into the second period. The Mountaineers sliced the Gaels lead back to one with 21 gone in the second quarter, but Refaat's first goal on Iona's next possession restored the Gaels two-goal edge with 7:08 remaining. After a Mount Saint Mary's score, Refaat's second goal gave Iona a 5-3 advantage at the 4:18 mark.   

The Mountaineers answered on their next trip down the pool, but with 3:20 remaining, Imm's first goal as a Gael resulted in a 6-4 Iona halftime lead. Thirty-one ticks into the third period, the Mountaineers got back with one, then Vlasic found the back of the net only 14 second later for a 6-4 Gaels advantage. Refaat's third score increased the Iona edge to three 8-5 with 5:42, then Mount Saint Mary's responded with two straight scores to get back within one 8-7 with 4:21 remaining.

Vlasic opened the final period with his second score with just 13 seconds gone to put Iona back up two 9-7. Converting a 6-5 chance, Mount Saint Mary's cut the Iona to one, then tied the score at nine 30 seconds later with 4:43 left in regulation. After Laufenberg stopped a Mountaineers five-meter penalty shot, Vlasic converted one for Iona as the Gaels retook the lead 10-9 with 2:06 left. With 1:29 on the clock, the Mountaineers tied the score at ten each, but Ginsberg's lob put Iona back up one 11-10 only 15 seconds later.    

At the 44-second mark, Mount Saint Mary's knotted the score for the fourth time to force double overtime. Mount Saint Mary's regained the lead 12-11 with 32 seconds left in the first overtime period. Refaat's fourth score with 2:02 on the clock in the second overtime tied the game at twelve apiece. With 48 ticks left the Mountaineers sealed their win as a final Gaels shot fell short.

California #1  23  Iona 7

Despite a valiant effort at both ends of the pool, the Gaels fell 23-7 to top-ranked California in this afternoon match as Iona head coach Brian Kelly played his entire dressed squad.

Senior Lester Machado and Vlisac led the Gaels with two goals, while Ginsberg, Refaat and sophomore William Harrington had one goal each. The Gaels scored seven goals on 24 shots and had five assists.
In goal, junior Diego Gomez had seven saves on 22 Golden Bears shots in the first three periods, including a five-meter penalty shot, and 14 goals against. In the third and fourth quarters, Laufenberg made five saves on ten Golden Bears shots and had five goals against.   

Freshman Aleksandar Slavokovic had no saves on three Golden Bears shots, three goals against and two steals in the fourth period. On defense, the Gaels made eight steals and one blocked shot by Howaniec`. Iona drew 20 Golden Bears kickouts, including two five-meter penalties, with four each by Scanlon and junior James DiSalle, while being ejected eight times. Iona scored three goals on 20 man-up chances, while California scored four goals on nine man-up opportunities. The Gaels turned the ball over 18 times.

The Golden Bears opened the match with three unanswered goals in the first four minutes for a 3-0 lead. With 3:06 remaining in the first period, Vilsac got the Gaels on the board to trim the California edge to two 3-1. In the second period, California reeled off five consecutive goals, including a five-meter penalty shot, despite a valiant Gaels defensive effort for a 9-1 advantage with 2:23 to go. Ginsburg found the back of the net with 1:48 on the clock, but the Golden Bears answered for a 10-2 edge. With 43 ticks left, Refaat pulled the Gaels within seven 10-3 at halftime.

California tacked on six consecutive scores in the first six minutes of the third quarter, including a five-meter penalty, to lead 16-3 with 2:05 left. Machado capitalized on a 6-4 opportunity to narrow the Golden Bears margin to 16-4 at the 1:38 mark, then buried a five-meter penalty shot drawn by Scanlon with five seconds on the clock as California led 16-5 going into the final period.

After the Golden Bears scored with 32 seconds gone in the fourth quarter, Vlisac's second score trimmed the defending national champs lead to eleven 17-6 just 26 ticks later. Following two more California goals, Harrington scored at the 4:17 mark to slice the Golden Bears edge to 20-7. California added three more scores in the closing 2:42 to seal the win.

COACH THOUGHTS

Although disappointed with the season-opening losses, Kelly was optimistic about his squad improving in tomorrow's contests.

"We did a lot of positive things on both sides of the pool," Kelly said. "We didn't protect the ball enough and we wasted too many offensive possessions with turnovers. Good thing is we have a quick turnaround tomorrow so we can correct our mistakes."

UP NEXT

On Sunday, the Gaels take on Bucknell University at 8 a.m., and Division III California Lutheran University at 12:30 p.m.

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