PASADENA, Calif. — The Division III No. 5-ranked Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) water polo team saw two players set new career highs in goals scored while two others tallied their first collegiate goals in a 24-9 victory at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). Overall, nine different Engineers found the back of the net.
MIT fell four goals shy of tying the program record for goals in a game that was set in the 1998 season (28).
Junior Kush Khamesra (Portland, Ore.) opened the scoring for MIT with a five-meter goal at the 6:11 mark of the first quarter. Sophomore Rick Lundh (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) tallied two goals in the quarter as the Engineers held a 5-2 advantage after the first eight minutes of play.
Back-to-back goals from junior Adam Ivatorov (Rockaway, N.Y.) put MIT up 8-3 at 5:24 in the second quarter. The Engineers later scored four straight to pull ahead 12-4. Ivatorov added another goal with 13 seconds left to make it an eight-goal lead for the Engineers at 13-5.
MIT scored the first four goals of the third quarter to pull ahead 17-5. Caltech first year Carl Crum stopped the Engineers run, but sophomore Kieran Kearns (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.) scored as time ran out in the frame to put MIT up 12.
A 4-0 run to open the fourth quarter gave MIT a 22-6 lead. Sophomore Andras Beleznay (Delray Beach, Fla.) and first year Thomas Ewald (Greenwich, Conn.) wrapped up the scoring for MIT.
Ivatorov led the way with a career-high seven goals. Beleznay set a new career best with four scores with Khamesra tying his career-best with three goals.
Lundh and classmate Matthew Pryce (Johannesburg, South Africa) recorded hat tricks. First years Derek Schaffer (Redondo Beach, Calif.) and Ewald scored their first collegiate goals in the match. Schaffer finished with two goals in the game.
Sophomore Jackson Kay (Palo Alto, Calif.) tallied a goal, and Kearns finished with a goal and three assists.
Sophomore Victor Perez (Key Biscayne, Fla.) led MIT with four assists and three steals.
First years Armaan Gill (Long Grove, Ill.) and Joshua Woren (Aurora, Colo.) split time in net with Gill making five saves and Woren stopping six.
Crum led Caltech with four goals.
Release courtesy the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Athletics Communications
