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Iona University Athletics

MWP Team

Men's Water Polo Jack Breslin / Ionagaels.com

Iona MWP Splits In Final Two Home Games

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
NEW ROCHELLE – After falling 14-7 to ninth-ranked Princeton University in a Northeast Water Polo Conference match, the Iona University men's water polo team defeated Connecticut College 18-9 in a non-conference contest today at Hynes Pool.

#9 Princeton 14, Iona 7

Down by a single goal midway through the third period, the Gaels were outscored 7-1 the rest of the way, resulting in a 14-7 conference loss to ninth-ranked Princeton University in this afternoon's first match. Freshmen Charlie Harbour and Jack Robinson led the Maroon and Gold (5-11 overall, 1-3 NWPC) with two goals each. Junior co-captain Pavle Musikic, sophomore Samson Williams, and freshman Christian Couch added one score each.

In goal, junior Eric Caplener had five saves, two steals, and seven goals against in the first and third quarters. Junior co-captain P.J. Bartzen notched two steals, and seven goals against in the second and fourth quarters.

The Gaels scored seven goals on 23 shots and made five assists. On defense, Iona made seven steals, with two by Williams. The Gaels drew seven kickouts, with three by Musikic, while being ejected nine times, including two five-meter penalties. Iona committed 18 turnovers. Iona scored three man-up goals on six chances, while Princeton scored three man-up goals on seven chances. Grady won three of four offs.

With 41 seconds gone in the match, the Tigers got on the board first, then scored again for a 2-0 edge with 6:09 left in the opening period. Musikic cut the visitors' lead back to one just 21 ticks later, but Princeton answered to go back up two, 3-1, with 5:28 to go. Robinson's first score got Iona within one, 3-2, then Princeton regained a two-goal cushion, 4-2, at the 3:15 mark. Williams sliced the Princeton advantage to one, 4-3, but a Princeton goal put the visitors up by two, 5-3, with 1:55 on the clock.

In the second quarter, neither squad scored until Princeton struck. Couch then got the Gaels within one, 5-4, with 3:39 remaining. The Tigers took a two-score edge only 1:16 later for a 6-4 halftime advantage.

Harbour tapped in a loose ball that chopped Princeton's lead to one with 29 seconds gone in the third period. At the five-minute mark, the Tigers went up two, 7-5. Robinson's second goal pulled Iona within one, 7-6, with 4:29 to go. Two straight Princeton scores, including a five-meter penalty goal, gave the visitors a 9-6 advantage with 2:17 on the clock.

After a Princeton goal, Harbour powered in a rebound to slice the Tigers' margin to three, 10-7, with 5:54 left in regulation. Four unanswered Princeton goals, including man-up and goalie-ejection chances, resulted in a seven-score, 14-7 Tigers lead with 3:03 left, as Iona managed just one goal in the final period.

Iona 18, Connecticut 9

Leading throughout the match, with the entire active field squad seeing action, Iona coasted to an 18-9 non-conference win in this afternoon's second game. Coyle, Musikic, sophomore Toni Vlasic, and freshman Sage Mack led the Maroon and Gold with three goals apiece. Junior Daniel Raz, sophomore Zayden Garner, sophomore Colin Minehand, Couch, Harbour, and freshman Logan Hardel added one score each.

In goal, Kyle Chin Lee had five saves on 19 Connecticut shots, three steals, one assist, and nine goals against. The Gaels scored 18 goals on 32 shots and made 11 assists, with two each from Coyle, junior co-captain Brett Grady, junior Ryan Tannus, Minehand, and freshman Tate Wilson. On defense, Iona made 16 steals, with three by Robinson. The Gaels drew nine kickouts, with three by Musikic, including two five-meter penalties, while being ejected seven times, including one five-meter penalty. Iona committed 12 turnovers. Iona scored five man-up goals on eight chances, while Connecticut scored one man-up goal on six chances. The Gaels won three of four offs.

After Coyle got the Gaels on the board first, Musikic followed with two straight scores for a 3-0 Iona lead with 3:43 gone in the match. Hardel put Iona up 4-0 on the Gaels' next trip down the pool with 3:09 to go in the first period.

Vlasic's backhand goal, followed by Coyle's second score, gave the home squad a 6-0 advantage with 6:08 left in the second period. After Minehand found the back of the net, the Camels cut the home advantage to six, 7-1. The Gaels answered with three straight goals from Mack, Garner, and Vlasic for a 10-1 halftime cushion with 2:50 to go.

Coyle needed only 36 seconds into the third period to land his hat trick, as Musikic did the same for a 12-1 Gaels edge with 5:02 on the clock. After a Connecticut score, Vlasic also earned a hat trick as Iona went up by eleven, 13-2, at the 3:42 mark. The Camels answered with three straight goals to slice the home lead to eight, 13-5, with 1:19 left. At the buzzer, Mack scored his second goal to restore a nine-score, 14-5 cushion going into the final period.

Following Harbour's goal, the Camels cut the Gaels' edge back to nine, 15-6, with two straight goals. Mack found the back of the net for the fourth Iona hat trick of the match, giving the Gaels a 16-7 margin with 5:16 remaining in regulation. Couch and Raz answered a Camels score to seal the 18-9 win in the final minute.

COACH THOUGHTS

Despite excessive fourth-quarter turnovers in the loss to Princeton, Iona head coach Brian Kelly complimented his squad's effort in both matches.

"Today was a pretty good day for the team," Kelly said. "We played a very good game against Princeton, who is one of the best teams in the country, for three quarters. "We had too many turnovers in the fourth, and the game got away from us. It would have been nice to see what we could have done if we had better protected the ball. Good teams make you pay when you turn over the ball, and that's what Princeton did. "The Connecticut game was an excellent defensive game for us, led by Kyle Chin Lee. We had contributions from our entire roster."

UP NEXT

On Wednesday, the Gaels travel to Brooklyn for a NWPC match against Long Island University at 7 p.m. On Thursday, Iona heads down to the Bronx to battle fifth-ranked Fordham University for the Dr. Francis X. Judge Cup at 5:30 p.m.
 
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Players Mentioned

Eric Caplener

#1A Eric Caplener

GK
6' 2"
Junior
Kyle Chin Lee

#1B Kyle Chin Lee

GK
6' 0"
Sophomore
Zayden Garner

#6 Zayden Garner

UT
6' 1"
Sophomore
Brett Grady

#11 Brett Grady

UT
6' 1"
Junior
Colin Minehan

#21 Colin Minehan

A
5' 11"
Sophomore
Pavle Musikic

#4 Pavle Musikic

C
6' 2"
Junior
Daniel Raz

#22 Daniel Raz

UT
6' 2"
Junior
Ryan Tannus

#18 Ryan Tannus

UT
6' 2"
Junior
Toni Vlasic

#9 Toni Vlasic

UT
6' 1"
Sophomore
Samson Williams

#15 Samson Williams

C
6' 5"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Eric Caplener

#1A Eric Caplener

6' 2"
Junior
GK
Kyle Chin Lee

#1B Kyle Chin Lee

6' 0"
Sophomore
GK
Zayden Garner

#6 Zayden Garner

6' 1"
Sophomore
UT
Brett Grady

#11 Brett Grady

6' 1"
Junior
UT
Colin Minehan

#21 Colin Minehan

5' 11"
Sophomore
A
Pavle Musikic

#4 Pavle Musikic

6' 2"
Junior
C
Daniel Raz

#22 Daniel Raz

6' 2"
Junior
UT
Ryan Tannus

#18 Ryan Tannus

6' 2"
Junior
UT
Toni Vlasic

#9 Toni Vlasic

6' 1"
Sophomore
UT
Samson Williams

#15 Samson Williams

6' 5"
Sophomore
C