PROVIDENCE, RI –  After its second season loss to California Baptist University (Riverside, CA) this morning, the Iona men's water polo team staged a second-half rally to earn its first victory of the 2014 campaign over Long Island University (Brooklyn, NY)  in the second day of the 2024 Bruno Classic hosted this weekend by Brown University at the Katherine Moran Coleman Aquatic Center.

California Baptist 16 Iona 8

Trailing by a single goal 3-2 at the end of the first period, Iona managed only six more scores in a 16-8 non-conference loss to California Baptist in this morning's first match. Junior Ratsko Jevdjovic led the Maroon and Gold (1-2 overall) with two goals on three shots. Graduate tri-captain Trippe Bauman, graduate student James DiSalle, graduate tri-captain Mohamed Refaat, freshman Hugh Coyle, freshman Pavle Musikic and freshman Daniel Raz all scored one goal each. The Gaels scored eight goals on 34 shots on four assists. 
 
In his first start in goal, freshman PJ Bartzen had 12 saves on 31 Lancers shots, made two steals and had 16 goals against. On defense, senior Edward Imm blocked one Cal Baptist shot. The Gaels made three steals. Iona drew 16 Lancers kickouts with four each by junior Matthew Mischlich and junior Luksa Vlasic and three each by DiSalle and Jevdjovic, while being ejected five times with four five-meter penalties. Vlasic was disqualified with three ejections in the fourth period. Iona scored five man-up goals on 14 chances, while Cal Baptist had two on four opportunities. The Gaels turned the ball over 15 times. Iona won one of four swim offs.

With 2:43 gone in the match, the Lancers struck first, but DiSalle's man-up goal locked the game at one all with 4:31 to go. On its next trip down the pool, Cal Baptist did the same to go back up one 2-1 just 28 seconds later. Jevdjovic re-tied the score at two with 2:21 left, but with ten ticks later the Lancers answered with a five-meter penalty goal for a 3-2 edge going into the second quarter. The Lancers opened the second period with two straight five-meter penalty scores to go up 5-2 with 53 seconds gone. Continuing a 5-0 run, Cal Baptist tacked on two more goals for a five-score 7-2 edge at the 4:42 mark. Coyle ended the Gaels offensive drought with his first Iona goal to slice the Lancers lead to four 7-3 with 2:56 remaining. After another Cal Baptist goal, Bauman found the back of the net to reduce the Lancers advantage to four 8-4 at halftime.

Cal Baptist upped its margin to five 9-4 with 2:37 gone in the third period, then Musikic pulled Iona back within four 9-5 just 56 seconds later. On their next chance, the Lancers went back five 10-5 at the 3:53 mark. Following Refaat's score, Cal Baptist added two more goals, including its fourth five-meter penalty shot. for a six-goal 12-6 edge going into the final period. Riding a 3-0 run, the Lancers went up seven 13-6 with 6:19 remaining. Raz got Iona back within six 13-7, but Cal Baptist answered on its next chance. Jedjovic's second score again cut Cal Baptist lead to six 14-8, then the Lancers sealed their 16-8 win with two straight scores in the closing 1:23.

Iona 16 Long Island 14

After three quarters that featured six ties and three lead changes, Iona took the lead for good and outscored LIU 5-2 in the closing three minutes for the squad's first season win 16-14 in this morning's second match. Musikic led the Maroon and Gold with four goals on ten shots, while Refaat and Vlasic had three scores each and Mischlich had two. Bauman, Imm, Jevdjovic and DiSalle added one goal apiece. The Gaels scored 16 goals on 39 shots on ten assists with three by Bauman and two each from Refaat and Vlasic.
 
In goal in the first half, Bartzen had one save on 12 Sharks shots and had nine goals against. In the second half, freshman Eric Caplener had seven saves on 13 Sharks shots, made four steals, one pool-length assist and had five goals against. On defense, Iona made seven steals with two by Vlasic and blocked two Long Island shots. Iona drew 10 Long Island kick-outs with three each by Musikic and Mischlich, while being ejected nine times with one five-meter penalty. The Gaels turned the ball over eight times. Iona won one of four swim offs. Iona scored four man-up goals on 12 chances, while LIU scored two on eight chances.

Neither squad scored until Vlasic found the back of the net with 3:36 left in the opening period,  but LIU tied the game at one all just 23 seconds later. The Sharks took a one-goal lead 2-1 with 1:51 on the clock. Mounting a 3-0 run, LIU went up two 3-1 with 1:01 remaining, then with one second left, Bauman capitalized on a man-up chance to get the Gaels with one 3-2 going into the second period.

Just 35 ticks into the second quarter, the Sharks retook a two-score lead until Vlasic's second goal got the Gaels back within one 4-3 with 1:14 gone. After LIU went back up two 5-3, Musikic ignited a 3-0 Iona run with goals by Imm and Vlasic to tie the match at five, and put the Gaels up one 6-5 with 4:03 remaining. Two straight Sharks goals tied the game at six all, then restored a one-goal 7-6 LIU edge with 2:19 left. Refaat re-knotted the match at seven all with 1:11 to go, but two LIU scores in the closing 51 seconds gave the Sharks a two-goal 9-7 intermission advantage.

Jevdjovic needed only 43 seconds to slice the LIU lead back to one 9-8 until the Sharks answered on their next trip down the pool for a 10-8 edge with seven minutes left. Musikic's second score cut the LIU to one, but the Sharks responded again for a 11-9 lead at the 5:41 mark. Two Iona goals by Mischlich and Refaat tied the game at 11 all with 4:17 to go. After LIU briefly retook a one-score 12-11 lead, Musikic and DiSalle, assisted by Caplener, resulted in the match's sixth tie and a 13-12 Iona advantage.
Adding to a 4-0 Gaels run, in the closing 50 seconds, Musikic and Mischlich gave Iona a three-goal 15-12 going into the final period. Neither squad scored in the final period until the Sharks capitalized on a man-up chance to chop the Gaels edge to two 15-13 with 2:19 remaining. After an Iona timeout, Refaat's third goal restored a three-goal 16-13 Gaels cushion as the Gaels held on for their first win of the 2024 campaign, despite a LIU five-meter penalty goal with 57 ticks left. 

UP NEXT

The Gaels will travel to the 2024 Princeton Invitational next weekend hosted by Princeton University. On Friday, Iona faces Santa Clara University at 1 p.m. EDT, and UC San Diego at 5 p.m. On Saturday, the Gaels take on the United States Naval Academy  at 3:30 p.m.