NEW LONDON, Conn. — The Iona College men’s water polo team lead by three goals at halftime and held Penn State Behrend to a pair of markers in the second half for a 15-7 victory at the Connecticut College Invitational.
Junior All-America selection Patrick Hudak led Iona with four goals. Junior Brett Hofer and freshman Lester Machado scored three goals each. Senior co-captain Quinn Lloyd had two scores, and senior co-captain Phil Wachowski, sophomore Andrew Brozovic and sophomore German Rodriguez had one goal apiece. The Gaels had eight assists with two from Hofer.
In goal, senior Jorge Andres Torres made four saves on nine Penn State Behrend shots and had four goals against. The starter also had three steals in the first half. Senior Michael Banks made four saves on Lions’ shots and dished out one assist with three goals allowed in the second half.
On defense, the Gaels made 16 steals with three each from Hudak and Rodriguez. Iona scored on four-of-eight man-up chances, while Penn State Behrend cashed in on four-of-nine bids. The Gaels drew eight Nittany Lions exclusions with two each from Hofer and Brozovic, while being ejected eight times. Iona had 12 turnovers.
Just 21 seconds into the match, Lloyd put Iona on the board on the Gaels first possession, followed by Hudak 43 ticks later for a 2-0 lead. The Nittany Lions answered to trim the Gaels lead to one with 4:47 remaining, but Lloyd’s second goal put Iona back up 3-1 only 13 seconds later. After the Lions pulled back within one two straight Hofer scores upped the Gaels edge to three 5-2 with 1:03 left.
Brozovic’s goal with 58 seconds gone in the second quarter gave Iona a four-goal 6-2 edge. Penn State Behrend hit a five-meter penalty shot to cut the Gaels’ edge back to three with 4:08 remaining. Hudak and Machado scored a second quarter goal apiece, but Penn State Behrend continued to answer and remained within three at the intermission, 8-5.
Three consecutive Iona goals from Hofer, Hudak and Machado gave Iona six-goal cushion at 11-5 with 4:02 left in the third quarter. After the Lions ended the Maroon & Gold run, Hudak’s fourth goal put Iona back up six, 12-6, going into the final frame.
Rodriguez’s breakaway goal 38 seconds into the final quarter, followed by Wachowski’s score increased Iona’s advantage to eight 14-6 with 5:08 remaining. Iona cruised to the 15-7 finish over the final minutes of the game.
Release courtesy Iona College Athletics Communications
