CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The Division III No. 8-ranked Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) water polo team dropped two close contests to Salem University, 13-9, and Wagner College, 13-7, on the first day of the 2025 Harvard Invitational hsotd by Harvard University at Blodgett Pool.
Facing Salem, MIT got three-straight goals from Adam Ivatorov, Caspar Lightner and Kunal Rajadhyax to take a 3-1 lead. Salem converted on a six-on-five chance to pull to within one after eight minutes of play.
After Rajadhyax scored on a counter, Salem went on a 4-1 run to take a 6-5 lead. Nick Soule stopped a 3-0 Tigers’ run but penalty shot goal with seven seconds left sent Salem into the break with a one-goal lead.
The Tigers scored twice to open the third quarter and built an 8-5 lead. Rick Lundh made it 8-6 and later 9-7, but Salem got another late goal to take a 10-7 advantage into the final quarter.
Lundh scored his third of the game to pull the Engineers to within two, but Salem scored back-to-back goals to build a four-goal lead. Lightner found the back of the net off a counter at 3:37 but Salem held on for a 13-9 win.
Lundh led the way with his fifth hat trick of the year and brings his season total to 39. He also had a team-high three steals. Lightner and Rajadhyax both scored twice.
Derek Schaffer led the Engineers with four assists, while Joshua Woren made nine stops in net.
Squaring off with Wagner, Schaeffer for MIT on the board at 7:14, but Wagner tied it with a goal from Landon Castillo. Lundh regained the lead for the Engineers at 3:35, but the Seahawks went on a 7-0 run to build an 8-2 margin.
Andras Beleznay and Adam Ivatorov scored back-to-back goals to end the second quarter as MIT went into the break trailing 8-4.
Ivatorov got MIT back to four with a penalty shot goal at 4:27 that made it 9-5 Wagner, but the Seahawks scored two of the next three goals to take an 11-6 lead into the final quarter.
Jackson Kay scored the lone goal for the Engineers in the final quarter as Wagner held on for a 13-7 win.
Ivatorov eclipsed the 300-career goal mark as he now has 302 in his career, becoming just the second player in program history with 300 or more goals. He recorded his seventh hat trick of the season.
Ivatorov led the team with three steals. Kay, Rajadhyax, and Lundh all had two. Kay also had two assists.
Woren had ten saves and two steals. Armaan Gill made two stops in goal.
Release courtesy Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Athletics Communications
