SANTA CLARA – Trailing by just two goals going into the second period, the Iona men's water polo team fell 20-8 to number-18-ranked host Santa Clara University this morning at the Julian Frazier Memorial Invitational Tournament.
GAME SUMMARY
Junior co-captain Pavle Musikic, Junior Daniel Raz, junior Ryan Tannus, sophomore Toni Vlasic, sophomore Samson Williams, freshman Christian Couch, freshman Jack Robison, and freshman Tate Wilson all scored one goal each for the Maroon and Gold (8-18 overall, 1-5 NEWPC).
In goal, junior P.J. Bartzen had four saves on 18 Santa Clara shots, one steal, and 11 goals against in the first half. Junior Eric Caplener had six saves on 19 Santa Clara shots and nine goals against in the second half.
The Gaels scored eight goals on 33 shots and scored four assists. On defense, Iona made four steals. The Gaels drew 13 kick-outs, five by Musikic and four by Couch, including one five-meter penalty, while being ejected three times, including two five-meter penalties. Iona committed 12 turnovers. Iona scored three man-up goals on 13 chances, while Santa Clara scored one man-up goal on three chances. Junior co-captain Brett Grady won one of four swim-offs.
With 1:38 gone in the match, the Broncos got on the board first with a five-meter penalty goal for a 1-0 edge. Another Santa Clara shot floated into the cage for a 2-0 home lead with 4:52 left in the opening period. Couch cut the Santa Clara advantage back to one 2-1 with 2:49 remaining. With 54 ticks left, Robison tied the match at one, but with two straight goals in the closing 44 seconds, the Broncos regained a two-goal 4-2 edge going into the second period.
Continuing a 4-0 run, the home squad built a four-goal 6-2 cushion with 5:23 to go in the second period. Raz's five-meter penalty goal cut the Santa Clara lead back to three, 6-3. Thirty-eight seconds later, the Broncos restored their four-score edge, 7-3. Williams tapped in a rebound, but Santa Clara answered an 8-4 margin with 3:47 left. Four consecutive Santa Clara goals in the closing 3:47 gave the Broncos a seven-score 11-4 halftime edge.
Two straight Gaels goals sliced the home advantage back to five 11-6 with 4:18 left in the third period. The Broncos responded with four unanswered goals, including a five-meter penalty score, to lead by nine, 15-6, with 1:35 on the clock.
After another Broncos goal, Tannus capitalized on a man-up chance to get the Gaels back within nine, 16-7, with 4:55 remaining in regulation. Following three more Santa Clara scores, Vlasic found the back of the net to cut the home lead to eleven, 19-8, with 2:27 left. A Broncos goal with 1:35 left sealed the 20-8 home win.
UP NEXT
Next Saturday, the Gaels travel to Princeton University for a Northeast Water Polo Conference match at 11 a.m. ET.
