ORADEA, Romania — Freshman Diego Tresa (Rome, Italy/Istituto Santa Maria) of the Fordham University men’s water polo team converted a penalty shot in the second quarter to aid Italy’s cause in a 12-11 loss to Greece in the Bronze Medal game of the 2025 U18 European Championship in Oradea, Romania.
Italy – which turned back Greece, 14-9, on Monday, August 18, managed the Netherlands via a 16-11 count on Tuesday, August 19 and experienced a 12-11 setback facing Hungary on Wednesday, August 20, in the final game of Group A before hampering Spain, 11-6, in the quarterfinals on Friday, August 22 and taking a 10-6 loss against Montenegro in the semifinals on Saturday, August 23 – was unable to stave off the Greeks which overcame a 7-6 halftime deficit in rallying for a one-score victory.
Trailing 2-0 early in the first quarter, Italy rallied back to knot the game at two-all in the first quarter prior to both teams netting markers in the waning minutes of the opening eight minutes of action to square the squads at three-all.
Tresa provided the Italians their inaugural lead of the game by swishing a penalty shot with 7:20 remaining in the second quarter to make it a 4-3 contest. Following another Italy strike to push ahead by a 5-3 count and a counter-tally by the Greeks to trim the deficit to 5-4, the teams traded goals over the remainder of the first half to permit the Italians to enter halftime clutching a 7-6 lead.
Italy attempted to pull away by scoring to go ahead 8-6 (6:37) and 9-7 (5:11) in the third quarter, but back-to-back-to-back markers by Greece at 4:41, 1:48 and 18 seconds turned the tides of the contest in returning the Greeks to the lead at 10-9 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Italians answered, however, with consecutive scores at 7:13 and 4:51 to flip the script for an 11-10 spread. A center shot (4:39) and a six-meter shot (2:37) proved to be the deciding blows, however, as the Greeks delivered in the waning minutes of the game to escape with a 12-11 win.
In six games, Tresa posted nine goals with man-up (two), penalty (three), center (two), action and counterattack tallies.
Statistics from the 2025 U18 European Championship are available by CLICKING HERE.
