ORADEA, Romania — Freshman Diego Tresa (Rome, Italy/Istituto Santa Maria) of the Fordham University men’s water polo team scored four times as Italy dropped a 12-11 game versus Hungary in both squads’ final contest during Group A competition at the 2025 U18 European Championship in Oradea, Romania.
Italy concludes the group with a 2-1 record as the Italians turned back Greece, 14-9, on Monday, August 18, before managing the Netherlands via a 16-11 count on Tuesday, August 19.
The Italians will continue the championship in the quarterfinals on Friday, August 22, at 8:30 p.m. local time/12:30 p.m. Eastern, against the winner of a crossover game on Thursday, August 21, pitting Germany versus Spain.
In other quarterfinal action, Montenegro meets the winner of France-vs.-the Netherlands at 4:00 p.m./8:00 a.m., Croatia clashes with the victor of Poland-vs.-Greece at 5:30 p.m./9:30 a.m. and Hungary aims to stop the advancing team from Serbia-vs.-Malta at 7:00 p.m./11:00 a.m.
Facing the Hungarians, Italy gained a 4-3 lead by the end of the first quarter prior to being outscored 4-2 in the second quarter to trail 7-6 entering halftime. The Italians answered with a 5-3 scoring margin in the third quarter to claim a narrow 11-10 lead, but Hungary closed out the contest with a 2-0 outburst in the fourth quarter to escape with a one-goal victory.
The teams traded goals in the early going with Italy notching 1-0 (7:06) and 2-1 (4:56) leads prior to back-to-back Hungarian tallies at 3:20 and 1:48 placing Hungary ahead 3-2.
Tresa evened the damage at three-all via a man-up strike at 1:21 and put his homeland back in front at 4-3 courtesy a successful center shot with 39 seconds left in the first eight minutes.
The margin lasted until the six minute mark of the second quarter, but Tresa completed a first half hat-trick by swishing a penalty shot with 4:34 until halftime to provide Italy another lead at 5-4.
Hungary rallied back by posting three goals to Italy’s solo marker over the remainder of the first half to enter halftime clutching a 7-6 advantage on the scoreboard.
Tresa squared the squads at seven-all at the 6:32 mark of the third quarter by denting the twine with an action shot to start a 4-1 run by the Italians to gain a 10-8 spread with 1:59 to play in the frame.
Leading 11-9 with 1:05 on the clock, the Italians were unable to stifle the Hungarians over the remainder of the game as Maxim Cseh (49 seconds, action shot) inched Hungary within 11-10 heading into the fourth quarter.
In the final eight minutes, Csanad Bella (7:39, man-up) and Benedek Rabb (3:23, action shot) provided the offense, while goalkeeper Kristof Andras Damosy stymied the Italian shooters to allow Hungary to come from behind for an 12-11 win.
Through three games, Tresa has eight goals with man-up (two), penalty (two), center (two), action and counterattack tallies.
The 14-team tournament featuring Greece, Serbia, Spain, Hungary, Montenegro, Italy, Croatia, the Netherlands, Turkey, Germany, Malta, France, Romania, Georgia, Ukraine and Poland runs from August 18-24.
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