ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Division III No. 8-ranked Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) water polo team wrapped up the 2025 Navy Open hosted by the United States Naval Academy with a one goal loss to Salem University, 15-14, before rebounding in the team’s weekend finale for a 22-10 defeat of Connecticut College.
Facing Salem, Caspar Lightner opened the scoring at 7:23. Salem pulled ahead 3-2, but a goal from William Ewald tied the match at three-all. The Tigers then scored two straight goals to pull ahead 5-3. Adam Ivatorov got the Engineers back to within one after one quarter of play.
Salem claimed an 8-5 lead in the second quarter before a strike by Lightner pulled MIT back to within one at 8-7. Two straight goals made it 10-7 in favor of Salem in the third quarter as the Tigers went on to acquire a 12-9 lead heading into the final quarter.
The Engineers began a comeback attempt in the final eight minutes. After a Salem goal made it 13-9, goals from Rick Lundh, Lightner and Ivatorov got MIT to within one before Derek Schaffer tied the match at 13-all with a score at the 4:41 mark. Salem scored the next two goals to take a 15-13 lead and Kunal Rajadhyax added the final score for MIT with 39 seconds left. A last second desperation flick by the Engineers on a restart with the clock winding down sailed just wide of the left post to allow Salem to escape with a one-score victory.
Lightner led MIT with five goals. Ivatorov, Rajadhyax, and Schaffer each scored twice. Ewald tacked on a goal and led MIT with two assists and three steals.
Armaan Gill made 10 stops in net for the Engineers.
In MIT’s weekend finale, the Engineers constructed a 5-0 lead before the Camels scored the next two to go into the second quarter trailing by three markers.
A goal from Ewald helped jump start an 8-3 second quarter which increased the MIT lead to 13-5 heading into halftime.
Ewald scored again to open the third quarter before back-to-back Ivatorov goals made it 16-5 in favor of the Engineers. Connecticut ventured to chip away at its deficit by inch within 17-9 going into the final eight minutes of regulation.
The Engineers outscored the Camels 5-1 in the final quarter lock-up a 22-10 win.
Ivatorov scored a game-high six goals. Ewald followed with four, while Lightner had three. Overall, eight different players found the back of the net for the Engineers.
Jackson Kay had four steals for MIT. Ewald, Schaffer and Avi Narula all dished out two assists to support a seven save, one steal, one assist performance by goalkeeper Joshua Woren.
Information courtesy Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Athletics Communications
