PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Mount St. Mary’s University kicked off its 2023 men’s water polo season at the Bruno Classic hosted at Brown University’s Katherine Moran Coleman Aquatics Center by surged past Mercyhurst University, 11-6, and falling versus No. 6 University of the Pacific, 21-7. The victory over Mercyhurst marks the first in the career of Mountaineers’ head coach Justin Vink.
Leading 4-2 at halftime against Mercyhurst thanks to a 2-0 scoring advantage in the second quarter, Mount St. Mary’s exploited a 4-1 scoring advantage in the third quarter to pull away and hold an 8-3 lead heading into the final eight minutes of regulation.
Eli Thalos (Gr. Salt Lake City, Utah/University of the Pacific) led the way with three goals, while Michael Lemishko Jr., Wayne, Pa./Upper Merion), Alexandros Bellesis (So., Athens, Greece/Vouliagmeni Lyceum) and Aaron Tarr (Fr., Johannesburg, South Africa/Westville Boys) chipped in pairs. Nate Valentine (Fr., Blue Bell, Pa./Wissahickon) and Nate Hopkins (Jr., Rockford, Mich./Rockford Senior) contributed solo markers in the victory in support of a seven and four save efforts by goalkeepers Sherif Hosni (So., Cairo, Egypt/Hamilton Boys) and Joseph Maxson (Sr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Westminster), respectively.
Overall, the Mountaineers combined for 15 steals in the win.
The tables turned in the second game of the day as Pacific outpaced Mount St. Mary’s to acquire leads of 9-1 and 11-4 at the conclusion of the first and second quarters, respectively. Trailing 17-6 at the conclusion of the third quarter, the Mountaineers were unable climb out of their scoring valley on the way to a 21-7 defeat.
Chrysostomos Valavanis (So., Athens, Greece/Leontello Lykeio Neas Smirnis), Gunner Lanquiest (So., Moorpark, Calif./Oaks Christian School), Zach Fischer (Jr., Chicago, Ill./De La Salle Institute), Bellesis, Valentine, Tarr and Hosni accounted for the Mountaineers’ seven goals, while Hosni (five) and Maxson (three) combined to stop eight shots.
Information courtesy Mount St. Mary’s University Athletics Communications
