PROVIDENCE, R.I. – After an upset home win over Brown University on October 5, the Iona University men's water polo team wrapped up its 2025 regular season with a 17–10 loss to the No. 19-ranked Bears in a Northeast Water Polo Conference match here this afternoon.

GAME SUMMARY

Junior Jayden Arana and sophomore Ryan Tannus led the Maroon and Gold (8–16 overall, 4–6 NEWPC) with three goals each, while sophomore Pavle Musikic scored twice. Senior co-captain Matthew Mischlich and freshman Samson Williams added one goal apiece. The Gaels scored ten goals on 31 shots and seven assists.

In goal in the first quarter, senior Aleksandar Slavkovic had two saves on seven Bears shots, made two steals, and allowed six goals. Sophomore P.J. Bartzen had four saves on 14 Bears shots and allowed 12 goals. On defense, Iona blocked four Brown shots, with two by Mischlich. The Gaels made five steals. Iona drew 11 Bears kickouts, with four by Mischlich (including one five-meter penalty), while being ejected eight times with three five-meter penalties. The Gaels turned the ball over 12 times. Iona won two of four swim-offs.

With 1:54 gone in the match, Musikic put Iona on the board first for a 1–0 lead. The Bears answered with a man-up goal to tie the game at one-all with 4:33 left in the opening period. After Brown briefly took a one-goal edge, 2–1, Arana retied the score at two with 2:24 remaining. Four straight Brown goals in the closing 1:09, including a five-meter penalty and a buzzer-beater, gave the Bears a 6–2 advantage going into the second period.

After Brown continued a 5–0 run, Arana buried a five-meter penalty shot to get Iona back within four, 7–3, with 1:12 gone in the second quarter. Following three consecutive Bears scores, Arana's third goal cut the hosts' cushion to six, 10–4, with 2:05 on the clock. Brown went back up seven, 11–4, with 48 seconds left until Mischlich found the back of the net with three seconds remaining to reduce the home lead to six, 11–5, at halftime.

Brown opened the second half with two more scores, then Musikic capitalized on a man-up chance to get Iona within seven, 13–6, with 6:18 left. Following a Brown score, Tannus cut the home edge back to seven, 14–7, with 4:14 on the clock. The Bears tacked on a five-meter penalty score, but Williams answered to keep the Gaels within seven, 15–8, at the 1:15 mark. Another Brown five-meter penalty goal with 6.5 seconds left resulted in a 16–8 Bears advantage going into the final period.

Two straight Gaels goals from Tannus narrowed the Brown lead to six, 16–10, with 3:42 left in the final period. Brown scored with 3:12 remaining to seal the 17–10 win. Even with today's season-ending loss, Iona head coach Brian Kelly was pleased with his squad's performance in preparation for championships. "Despite not getting the results we wanted with three wins, we did a lot of good things," Kelly said. "We are going to look at the tapes, make adjustments, and get ready for championships."

UP NEXT

Iona will return to Providence for the Northeast Conference Water Polo Championships from November 21–23, hosted by Brown University.