Gannon University-vs.-La Salle University Scoresheet (MAWPC Championship – Seventh Place)
LEWISBURG, Pa. — Drago Marjanovic (So., Belgrade, Serbia/North Allegheny) scored three times to claim Player of the Game honors as the Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC)-West Region Champion Golden Knights of Gannon University downed La Salle University, 15-9, in the Seventh Place game of the 2019 MAWPC Championship at Bucknell University’s Kinney Natatorium.
Gannon (18-4, 6-0 MAWPC-West) – which knocked off the Explorers by a 17-11 count on September 15 during the Laker Invitational at Mercyhurst University and claimed the No. 7 seed in the eight-team MAWPC Championship field on the strength of the victory – dominated the second and third quarters for a 9-2 scoring advantage during the 16-minute span to overwhelm La Salle (6-23, 1-11 MAWPC-East).
The Golden Knights jumped out to a 3-0 lead less than three minutes into the first quarter as Anthony Squeglia (Jr., Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep), Robert Bolmanski (So., Erie, Pa./McDowell) and Marjanovic buried back-to-back-to-back natural markers at 6:37, 5:48 and 5:11, respectively.
La Salle chipped its deficit down to 3-2 prior to the end of the frame as Daniel Domotor (Jr., Budapest, Hungary/Karinthy Frigyes Secondary) netted a man-up strike at 4:47 prior to Cole Strohson (Jr., Newport Beach, Calif./Corona del Mar) connecting on an even-strength shot with 41 seconds on the clock.
However, the game shifted dramatically in favor of the the Golden Knights during the second quarter as Gannon outscored La Salle, 4-1, to acquire a 7-3 lead by halftime.
Bolmanski (7:34) and Riley Hinkley (Sr., Meshoppen, Pa./Princeton) opened the second quarter with consecutive strikes at 7:34 and 6:15 to push the lead to 5-2. Callin Chimilar (Fr., Regina, Sask./Martin Collegiate) responded for La Salle at 4:51 to move back within a pair at 5-3, but tallies by Hinkley (3:16) and John Vieira (So., Erie, Pa./Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy/McDowell) (37 seconds) provided Gannon a 7-3 lead through 16 minutes of competition.
The offensive spurt continued into the third quarter as Jack Donnelly (Sr., Temecula, Calif./Chaparral) and Thomas Squeglia (Sr., Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) dumped in shots at 7:03 and 4:48, respectively, prior to Tim Baer (Jr., San Diego, Calif./Classical Academy) converting a man-up chance at 2:56 and Donnelly putting away an even-strength opportunity at 2:23 to make it an 11-3 game.
La Salle terminated the run at 2:09 as Tyler Williams (So., Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson) hooked in a natural marker, but Seth Johnson (Fr., Sugar Hill, Georgia/Lanier) closed out the third quarter by finding the back of the cage with a sinking shot (1:42) for a 12-4 lead.
Derek DeFusco (Sr., Henderson, Nev./Coronado) returned La Salle’s deficit to seven at 12-5 (6:40) to start the fourth quarter, but Marjanovic delivered a response at 6:07 courtesy a man-up strike.
Luke Waechter (Sr., Penllyn, Pa./Boston University) and Jeff Brady (Sr., Fallston, Md./Calvert Hall College) trimmed La Salle’s deficit to six at 13-7 with consecutive goals at 5:14 and 3:36, respectively, but Marjanovic answered again at 3:22 to return the spread to seven at 14-7.
Waechter (2:36) and Brady (1:27) dented the twine to cut the lead back to 14-9, but Johnson closed out the game with a goal (1:00) to close out the 15-9 win for the Golden Knights.
For Gannon, Marjanovic (three), Bolmanski (two), Johnson (two), Donnelly (two) and Hinkley (two) posted multi-goal games with Vieira, Anthony Squeglia, Baer and Thomas Squeglia all netting solo scores. Jacob Hollo (Fr., Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) earned the win in cage with seven saves.
Due to the win, Gannon equals its performance at the 2017 MAWPC Championship as the Golden Knights placed Seventh via a 13-12 win in sudden death overtime against Mercyhurst University at the United States Naval Academy.
Waechter and Brady led La Salle with pairs of goals, while Chimilar, Williams, Strohson, Domotor and DeFusco all posted single scores. Adriano Zunino (Fr., Lima, Peru, Broward College) and Cameron Schiable (Jr., Henderson, Nev./Coronado) split time in cage with the pair combining to account for six saves.
| 1st Q | 2nd Q | 3rd Q | 4th Q | – | FINAL | |
| La Salle University | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | – | 9 |
| Gannon University | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | – | 15 |
| Gannon Goals: | Drago Marjanovic (3); Robert Bolmanski (2); Seth Johnson (2); Jack Donnelly (2); Riley Hinkley (2); John Vieira; Anthony Squeglia; Tim Baer; Thomas Squeglia | |||||
| La Salle Goals: | Luke Waechter (2); Jeff Brady (2); Callin Chimilar; Tyler Williams; Cole Strohson; Daniel Domotor; Derek DeFusco | |||||
| Saves: | Gannon – Jacob Hollo (7) ; La Salle – Adriano Zunino (4, 16 minutes), Cameron Schiable (2, 16 minutes) | |||||
| Exclusions: | Gannon – 6 ; La Salle – 5 | |||||
| Advantage Opportunities: | Gannon – 2-for-5 ; La Salle – 1-for-6 | |||||
| Sprints: | Gannon – 3-for-4 (1st, 2nd, 4th) ; La Salle – 1-for-4 (3rd) | |||||
| Cards/Misconducts: | None | |||||
| Officials: | Mike Gordon ; Igor Mernenko | |||||
La Salle University’s Cole Strohson (#4) tries to unload a pass against Gannon University’s Jack Donnelly (#3)
Gannon University’s Robert Bolmanski (#8) shoots over a charging Luke Waechter (#22) of La Salle University
Gannon University’s Tim Baer La Salle University’s Callin Chimilar (#18) defends La Salle University’s Callin Chimilar (#18)
La Salle University’s Luke Waechter (#22) tussles with Gannon University’s Robert Bolmanski (#8)
Gannon University’s Robert Bolmanski (#8) prepares to shoot as La Salle University’s Cole Strohson (#4) attempts to block the attempt
