ERIE, Pa. — The Gannon University men’s water polo team opened defense of its Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division II Championship by topping Mercyhurst University, 16-8, at the Hallman Aquatics Center. The Golden Knights have won the last four CWPA Division II titles.
It was also Senior Night, with six seniors recognized prior to the match. The six then went out and made sure they enjoyed their night. Marty Kaverman Jr. (Erie, Pa./McDowell) contributed six goals and an assist, with Drago Marjanovic (Belgrade, Serbia/North Allegheny (Pa.)) adding two goals and seven assists. Marjanovic moved into seventh place in career assists with 91. Vlad Mickic (Subotica, Serbia/Nikola Tesla) had a pair of goals, while Seth Johnson (Sugar Hill, Georgia/Lanier) had a goal and an assist and John Vieira (Erie, Pa/Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy (McDowell)) posted an assist. The sixth senior, Jacob Hollo (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) notched 15 saves to pick-up the victory.
Mercyhurst outshot Gannon, 39-32, but the Golden Knights owned a .500 shooting percentage while the Lakers came in at .205. Gannon converted on five-of-10 man-up chances with Mercyhurst connecting on zero-for-three.
Mercyhurst jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the contest, but Gannon rallied back to claim a 5-3 lead by the conclusion of the opening quarter. Mickic scored the first two goals for the Golden Knights and Kaverman followed with the next two. The second with 41 seconds remaining off a pass from Dylan Schmitzerle (Richmond, Va./Huron) gave Gannon the lead for good at 4-3. Leading scorer Alex Kotskar (Voula, Greece) scored the first of his two goals with a second remaining for a 5-3 lead. Kotskar, a freshman, now has 62 goals which ranks seventh in a season.
Gannon made it five straight goals while scoring the first three tallies of the second quarter. Kaverman began the run with a penalty shot, and followed with a power play goal, assisted by Marjanovic. Marjanovic then did the honors off a pass from Kotskar to make it 8-3 with just under two minutes left in the half.
Gannon led 8-4 entering halftime and Mercyhurst pulled no closer than three goals the rest of the way.
With the score at 9-6 with just over two minutes remaining in the third quarter, Gannon scored three times to make it 12-6 with eight minutes remaining. Kaverman accounted for two of the goals plus an assist and Marjanovic had a goal and an assist.
The Golden Knights built the lead to 15-6 with the first three goals of the final eight minutes as Gannon continued the march to victory.
Kaverman led the way for Gannon with six goals and an assist, while Marjanovic notched a pair of goals and seven helpers. Kotskar (two goals, one assist), Mickic (two goals), Schmitzerle (one goal, two assists), Ben Fribourg (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore) (one goal, two assists), Johnson (one goal, one assist), Jordan Kraus (Erie, Pa./McDowell) (one goal) and Vieira (one assist) accounted for the remainder of the Golden Knights’ offense.
Release courtesy Gannon University Athletics Communications
