PRINCETON, N.J. — The No. 6-ranked Princeton University men’s water polo team wrapped up its 2023 Princeton Invitational by capping off a perfect weekend with victories against Division III No. 4-ranked Chapman University, 17-8, and No. 20 Fordham University, 15-9.
In the Tigers’ opening game of the day, the Panthers of Chapman were unable to keep pace with Princeton.
After Chapman evened the score at one-all, the Tigers ran off four straight goals to hold a 5-1 lead after eight minutes. Each squad registered four goals each in the second frame as the Tigers led 9-5 at the break.
Head coach Dustin Litvak‘s crew registered four consecutive tallies to start the second half to go and put the contest away.
Vladan Mtrovic led the way with four goals for Princeton, while George Caras notched a trio. Roko Pozaric, William Swart and Yurian Quinones chipped in pairs with Mason Killion, Tigran Sennett, Pierce Maloney and Logan McCarroll tossing in single strikes.
In a rematch of last year’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship play-in game, the reigning Northeast Water Polo Conference (NWPC) Champion Tigers of Princeton flummoxed the Rams of defending Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) Champion Fordham University by six-goals.
Princeton never trailed by scoring three of the first four goals before Fordham got within one, 3-2, as the first quarter came to a close.
The Tigers pitched a shutout in the second stanza, extending their lead to four at 6-2. Princeton led by as many as five in the third frame and held a four-goal advantage at 9-5 after 24 minutes of action. Princeton ripped off six tallies in the fourth quarter and was not threatened the rest of the way to claim the win.
Similar to the Chapman contest, Mitrovic led the way with four tallies. Maloney, McCarroll, Swart and Killion rifled in pairs of markers to accompany solo scores from Quinones, Pozaric and Luke Johnston.
Information courtesy Princeton University Athletics Communications
