[STATEN ISLAND, NY] – Rallying for a 12-10 lead at the end of the third quarter, the Iona University Men's Water Polo Team gave up six straight goals in the final period in tonight's 16-13 non-conference road loss to Wagner College.
GAME SUMMARY
Junior co-captain Pavle Musikic (eight shots) and freshman John Robison (five shots) led the Maroon and Gold (4-11 overall, 0-2 NEWPC) with three goals apiece, while junior Ryan Tannus and junior Hugh Coyle both scored twice. Junior co-captain Brett Grady and freshmen Christian Couch and Charlie Harbour added one goal apiece.
In goal, junior co-captain P.J. Bartzen had six saves on 15 Seahawks shots with two steals and seven goals against in the first and third quarters, while junior Eric Caplener had two saves on 13 Seahawks shots with nine goals against in the second and fourth quarters.
The Gaels scored 13 goals on 39 shots and recorded ten assists, including three from Musikic. On defense, Iona made 11 steals, with three by Harbour, and blocked three shots. The Gaels drew 15 kick-outs, including ten by Musikic and two five-meter penalties, while being ejected eight times, including one five-meter penalty. Iona committed 11 turnovers and scored eight man-up goals on 16 chances, while Wagner converted three of six man-up opportunities. Grady won two of four swim-offs.
Wagner got on the board first with 41 seconds gone in the match for a 1-0 edge. After Musikic missed a five-meter penalty shot, Tannus tied the game at one with 6:28 left in the opening period. Two straight Seahawks goals, including a five-meter penalty score, put the hosts up 3-1 at the 5:33 mark. On the Gaels' next chance, Coyle cut the Wagner advantage to one, 3-2, before Musikic re-knotted the score at three with 2:57 to go. With 25 seconds left, Wagner struck again for a 4-3 lead going into the second period.
Continuing a 2-0 run, the Seahawks took a two-score 5-3 edge at the seven-minute mark. Musikic's second goal cut the home margin to one, 5-4, before Wagner regained a two-score 6-4 cushion with 4:56 on the clock. Three straight Gaels goals from Tannus, Grady and Harbour tied the match at six before giving Iona its first lead, 7-6, with 1:18 left. Wagner answered just 17 seconds later, but Robison found the back of the net with 24 seconds to go for an 8-7 Iona halftime advantage.
With 1:11 gone in the third period, the Seahawks tied the match for the fifth time before Robison restored the one-goal Gaels lead, 9-8, just 29 seconds later. Robison's second score increased the Iona lead to two, 10-8, before the Seahawks got back within one, 10-9, with 5:29 on the clock. Coyle's second score, on a five-meter penalty try, increased the Iona edge back to two, 11-9, with 4:03 left. The Seahawks again pulled within one, 11-10, at the 1:34 mark. With 28 seconds remaining, Musikic struck for the third time for a two-goal 12-10 Iona edge going into the final period.
Neither squad scored early in the final period before three straight Wagner goals gave the home squad a 13-12 advantage with 4:45 remaining. The Seahawks extended the run to six unanswered goals, building a 16-12 edge with 18 seconds to go. With two seconds left, Robison completed his hat trick for the only Gaels goal of the fourth quarter and the final 16-13 margin.
UP NEXT
On Sunday, the Gaels host two Northeast Water Polo Conference matches against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at 10:30 a.m. and Harvard University at 3 p.m.
