CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Competing at Harvard University’s Blodgett Pool, the Gaels of Iona University went 1-1 by turning back McKendree University, 16-13, and taking a 12-9 setback against Bucknell University on the first day of Brown University’s Bruno Classic.
Competing in Cambridge as the Bruno Classic is hosted at three sites (Brown, Harvard, Wheaton College), Iona overcame two first quarter ties to lead by three goals over the remainder of the contest in holding off McKendree.
Senior Andrew Miller led the Maroon & Gold with seven goals on ten shots. Senior Trippe Bauman, senior James DiSalle and junior Luksa Vlasic each scored two goals, while junior Luka Nastic, sophomore Rastko Jevdjovic and sophomore Coby Scanlon posted solo tallies. The Gaels made 16 goals on 32 shots with 12 assists, including three each from Bauman and Vlasic.
In goal, sophomore Aleksandar Slavkovic had eight saves on 24 Bearcats’ shots and made asteal.
On defense, the Gaels made 12 steals with four from Jevdjovic and had two blocked shots. Iona drew nine McKendree kickouts and two five-meter penalties with three collected by Vlasic, while being ejected six times.
Iona scored three goals on seven man-up chances, while McKendree scored one goal on six man-up opportunities. The Gaels turned the ball over 13 times.
With 2:11 gone in the match, Vlasic got the Gaels on the board, followed by Miller on Iona’s next possession for a 2-0 edge with 5:18 remaining in the opening frame. The Bearcats answered on their next trip down the pool to trim the Gaels’ edge to 2-1, then tied the game at two-all with 3:31 on the clock. Miller’s second score put Iona back up one 3-2 just 16 ticks later. A McKendree score retied the game at three apiece with 2:19 to go in the quarter.
Miller needed only 29 seconds into the second quarter to restore the Gaels one-goal edge at 4-3. Jevdjovic upped the Iona lead to two 5-3 with 5:28 remaining. Bauman’s man-up score gave the Gaels a three-score advantage at 6-3 only 1:10 later.
With 2:29 left, McKendree countered to slice the Iona edge back to two 6-4. Two straight goals in the closing 1:12 from Scanlon and Bauman on five-meter penalty shot gave the Gaels a four-goal 8-4 halftime advantage.
Miller’s fourth goal with 28 seconds gone in the third quarter put Iona up five at 9-4. McKendree cut the Iona lead back to four at 9-5 with six minutes to go, but the Gaels went back up five at 10-5 on Miller’s fifth score 17 ticks later.
After a Bearcats’ score, Nastic gave the Gaels a 11-6 edge with 5:02 on the clock. In the closing 1:52, three unanswered McKendree scores pulled the Bearcats with three at 12-9 going into the fourth quarter.
The Gaels regained a four-goal lead on Miller’s sixth score on a five-meter penalty shot, but the Bearcats answered on their next chance to slice Iona’s edge back to 13-10 with 1:28 gone in the final eight minutes.
Two straight scores by DiSalle gave the Gaels at 15-10 margin with 4:22 left in regulation, but back-to-back McKendree strikes trimmed Iona’s lead to 15-12 with 2:14 to play in the fourth quarter.
After Miller’s seventh score, McKendree scored on a man-up chance with Slavkovic ejected to get back within three at 16-13 with 58 ticks left, the Iona held on for the win.
Despite a fourth-quarter rally while holding Bucknell scoreless, Iona fell three goals short against the Bison.
Bauman, Miller and Nastic led the Maroon and Gold with two goals each. Senior Jack Folan, Valsic and Scanlon each notched solo tallies. The Gaels made nine goals on 28 shots with four assists with two by Vlasic.
In goal, junior Diego Gomez made 12 saves on 27 Bison shots with a pair of steals.
On defense, the Gaels recorded six steals. Iona drew six Bucknell kickouts with two each drawn by Miller and Vlasic, while being ejected 11 times. In the third quarter, Falon and Jevdjovic were disqualified with three ejections each. Iona did not score on four man-up chances, while Bucknell failed to capitalize on 10 man-up bids. The Gaels turned the ball over nine times.
After Bucknell scored first with 45 seconds gone in the match, Scanlon knotted the match at one-all with 6:20 remaining in the opening quarter. The Bisons answered 21 ticks later for a 2-1 edge. Miller’s first score retied the game at two-all with 3:15 left. Gomez’s save of a Bison five-meter penalty shot with 39 seconds left maintained a two-all tie going into the second quarter.
Just 28 seconds into the second quarter, the Bison regained a one-goal edge at 3-2. On a 3-0 run, Bucknell attained a 5-2 edge with 4:11 remaining until halftime. Vlasic sliced the Bison edge back to 5-3, but Bucknell answered going into the final minute. The teams traded goals with Nastic and Bauman scoring for Iona as Bucknell led by 8-5 by halftime.
Folan got Iona back within 8-6 1:42 into the third quarter, but Bucknell took off on another 3-0 run for an 11-6 advantage with 4:11 on the clock. Bauman answered at the 1:30 mark to move Iona within 11-7, bu the Bison responded with 16 ticks on the clock to hold a 12-7 margin going into the fourth quarter.
Miller’s second goal chopped the Bison lead back to 12-8 29 seconds into the fourth quarter and Nastic’s second score inched the Gaels within 12-9 with 3:15 left in the game.
However, Iona was unable to complete the comeback in falling by a 12-9 score.
“I thought today was a good day,” noted Iona head coach Brian Kelly.
“We had a nice win to start the season with two dominant performances by Andrew Miller and Luksa Vlasic. Although we won, our defense wasn’t very good in the first game.”
“I’m very encouraged how we corrected our mistakes in game two versus a very good Bucknell team. Our defensive communication and our awareness are going to be the keys to our season.”
Information courtesy Iona University Athletics Communications
