BRONX, N.Y. — Down five goals at halftime, Mount St. Mary’s University men’s water polo had to pull out all the stops to earn Ninth place at the 2022 Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) Championship hosted by Fordham University. They did so, with Chrysostomos Valavanis converting the game winner with 23 seconds left allowing the Mount to defeat Gannon University, 9-8.
The team completes their third season of play with a record of 15-14, supplying a winning record for the second time over those three years.
Tommaso Baldineti earned all the Mount’s goals up to the fourth period as Gannon net minder Alvaro Marco kept every other Mountaineer off the scoreboard until late. The Italian sophomore and MAWPC First Teame finished with six goals and 20 for the tournament.
Marco and Gannon’s defense had an answer early on for every offensive play, holding the Mountaineers off the scoreboard for the first quarter. The Golden Knights benefited from two goals and a late penalty. The Mount’s defense held firm, allowing the lead to extend to 4-0 before Baldineti found the back of the net with 5:11 left in the second quarter.
A five-meter penalty from Baldineti opened play in the third quarter. One minute later, he had his hat trick. Joseph Maxson took to the net in a program change and helped keep the Golden Knights at bay. Baldineti used power play opportunities to score three more times and close the deficit to 8-5 heading into the fourth quarter.
Another penalty shot helped trim the advantage down further. A stop and a break away could have provided a huge spark in momentum, but the shot met the top of the cross bar and angled out. Defense continued to hold firm for several minutes. Down two with three minutes on the clock, Kiahi Horan completed a set play at the center position to make it 8-7 Gannon.
Maxson recorded a save on the other end to deny a quick Golden Knights score. On an ensuing counterattack, Alexandros Bellesis found a pass from Baldineti for the equalizer, earning his first goal at a critical time. Holding up the bargain on the defensive side, the Mount used its last offensive chance to feed the center. Valavanis found enough open space to catch the pass and sail the shot past Marco and into the back of the net. Gannon’s last opportunity to tie and force overtime clanked off the side of the cage as time expired.
Release courtesy Mount St. Mary’s University Athletics Communications
