GAME SUMMARY
GREENWICH, CT – Down just two goals at halftime, the Iona Men's Water Polo Team fell 19-16 to the United States Air Force Academy in a non-conference match this afternoon at the Greenwich YMCA Aquatic Center.
Freshman Christian Couch led the Maroon and Gold (0-5 overall) with three goals on eight shots, while junior Hugh Coyle, co-captain junior Brett Grady, co-captain junior Pavle Musikic, junior Daniel Raz, and freshmen Charlie Harbour and Jack Robinson scored two goals each. Freshman Logan Handel added one goal.
In goal, co-captain junior P.J. Bartzen had two saves on 19 Falcons shots with 12 goals against in the first half. Sophomore Kyle Chin Lee had two saves on 12 Falcons shots with seven goals against in the second half.
The Gaels scored 16 goals on 37 shots and had nine assists, with four from Robinson. On defense, Handel and Robinson each made one steal, and the Gaels blocked eight shots. The Gaels drew 11 Falcons kick-outs, including three five-meter penalties, while being ejected 10 times, including three five-meter penalties. Musikic was disqualified with three ejections. Iona committed nine turnovers. Iona scored three man-up goals on 11 chances. Grady won two of four swim-offs.
With 22 seconds gone in the match, Air Force got on the board first, but Musikic needed only ten seconds to tie the game at one. After the Falcons retook a one-goal 2-1 edge, Musikic buried a five-meter penalty shot to re-tie the score at two all with 6:48 remaining in the opening period. Two straight five-meter penalty scores put Air Force up two, 4-2, but Harbour answered to trim the Falcons' lead back to one, 4-3, just 20 seconds later.
After the Falcons went up two, 5-3, Robinson and Couch found the back of the net for a five-all tie with 3:27 left. Continuing a 3-0 Iona run, Couch's second goal gave the Gaels their first lead, 6-5, until a Falcons five-meter penalty score evened the match at six each at the 1:39 mark. With 29 ticks left, Air Force retook a 7-6 advantage going into the second period.
On a 3-0 run, Air Force mounted a two-goal 8-6 edge 1:20 into the second quarter. Coyle's five-meter penalty goal got Iona back within one, 8-7, until Air Force went back up 9-7 on its next possession. Raz's five-meter penalty score trimmed the Falcons' edge to one, 9-8. The squads traded goals with Grady tallying for Iona, then Air Force went back up two, 11-9, with 3:02 on the clock. Handel's first Iona goal pulled Iona within one, but Air Force retook a two-goal halftime advantage.
The Falcons opened the third quarter by upping their edge to 13-10, then Grady's second score got the Gaels within two, 13-11, with 1:45 gone. On two straight scores, Air Force gained a four-score lead, 15-11, at the 4:37 mark. Iona answered with two consecutive goals from Raz and Harbour to chop the Air Force edge to two, 15-13, with 1:53 remaining. With 25 ticks on the clock, the Falcons retook a three-goal cushion, 16-13, going into the fourth quarter.
Air Force sustained a 3-0 run with two straight goals to go up five, 18-13, with 1:27 gone in the final period. Couch's third goal sliced the Falcons' edge to four, 18-14, with 5:47 left. After the Falcons went up five, 19-14, Coyle and Robinson pulled Iona back within three, 19-16, with 2:46 remaining.
COACH THOUGHTS
While pleased with his squad's offensive output, Iona head coach Brian Kelly wants the defense to "match" that effort. "We need to improve every aspect of our defense if we are going to be a good team," Kelly said. "We are putting up a lot of goals against some of the best teams in the country. Our offense has been excellent. If our defense can match it, the sky's the limit for this team."
UP NEXT
This coming weekend, the Gaels travel to Annapolis for four non-conference matches at the Naval Academy Invite. On Saturday, Iona takes on Austin College at 11 a.m. and George Washington University at 4:30 p.m. On Sunday, the Gaels face Salem University at 11 a.m. and Johns Hopkins University at 2 p.m.
