CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The No. 17-ranked Harvard University men’s water polo team earned a split for the second straight day by falling to No. 11 University of the Pacific, 12-11, in the opener and dominating Wagner College, 18-6, in the nightcap. The results improve the Crimson to 2-2 in the Bruno Classic games at Blodgett Pool.
In the opener, Pacific scored first and never trailed. Harvard tied the game at three-all and the two sides traded goals before the Tigers went back in front at 6-5 before halftime and never looked back.
Trailing 12-9, Crimson junior Lukas Peabody (San Diego, Calif.) and senior Jacob Tsotadze (Menlo Park, Calif.) got the home side back within a goal, but Tigers held the ball for the final 16 seconds after Tsotadze’s scored and secured the victory.
Three Crimson players got on the scoresheet twice, including Tsotadze. Senior Vilas Sogaard-Srikrishnan (Greenwich, Conn.) netted a pair of goals, including one on a penalty shot, and first-year Clay Carrington (Menlo Park, Calif.) added two of his own. Sophomore Connor Kim (Los Angeles, Calif.) dished out a team-high three assists and freshman goalie Jonas Ransford (Newport Beach, Calif.) notched nine saves.
In game two, senior Oliver Price (La Jolla, Calif.) got the start in net and shutout Wagner through the first quarter. The Crimson grew its lead to 6-0 before the Seahawks got on the scoreboard.
Senior Jack Burghardt (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) and first-years Carrington and Rigby Snapp (Ventura, Calif.) all posted four goals in the game. Carrington and Sogaard-Srikrishnan tied for the game-high in assists with three. Price finished the game with nine saves and two steals.
