ERIE, Pa. — The Gannon University men’s water polo team used a balanced attack and strong play in goal to run its winning streak to four straight matches with a 15-10 non-conference over McKendree University. The contest was played at the Hallman Aquatics Center at the Prep-Villa Events Center. The Golden Knights improved to 5-3 with the non-conference win, while McKendree is now 3-3.
Nine different players scored goals, with Dylan Schmitzerle (Richmond, Va.), Robert Bolmanski (Fairview, Pa./McDowell), Tony Squeglia (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep), Tim Baer (Oceanside, Calif./Classical Academy), Ethan Hamp (Chicago, Ill./Von Steuben) and Drago Marjanovic (Belgrade, Serbia/North Allegheny (Pa.)) each scoring two goals. Marjanovic added four assists and Squeglia chipped in a pair. Marty Kaverman Jr. (Erie, Pa./McDowell) contributed a goal and four assists, with David Gallion (Arlington, Va./Homeschool) and Vlad Mickic (Subotica, Serbia /Nikola Tesla) adding a goal and an assist.
Head coach Shane Ulmer once again split playing time in the net with Jacob Hollo (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) playing the first half and Alvaro Marco (Madrid, Spain/IES Ortega y Gasset) the second. Hollo, a junior, led Gannon to a 9-7 halftime lead while registering five saves. Marco, a freshman, allowed three goals and recorded 10 saves in the second half.
Gannon would hold a narrow 4-3 lead after one period thanks to a pair of goals in the final ten seconds. Squeglia knotted the score at 3-3 with 10 seconds left, and Gallion followed with a power play goal with a second remaining off a feed from Marjanovic.
After McKendree tied the match in the second period at four-al, Squeglia gave the Golden Knights the lead for good with his second goal. That began a string of three straight strikes to take a 7-4 lead on the way to a 9-7 margin in favor of the Golden Knights by halftime.
Gannon pulled away in the third quarter, scoring the first four goals to boost the lead to 13-7. Baer opened the scoring, with Hamp ripping in back-to-back goals prior to Marjanovic capping the run with 1:39 on the clock.
McKendree scored the final two goals of the third quarter to move within 13-9, but their comeback hopes were dashed when Kaverman and Mickic opened the scoring in the fourth quarter with Gannon goals to build a margin which the Bearcats were unable to overcome.
Release courtesy Gannon University Athletics Communications
