PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Iona University rallied back from a 16-8 loss to No. 17-ranked California Baptist University to complete a second-half comeback in knocking off Long Island University, 16-14, to conclude competition at the 2024 Bruno Classic at Brown University’s Katherine Moran Coleman Aquatic Center.
Taking on the nationally-ranked Lancers of Cal Baptist in the morning game, the Gaels were unable to record an upset victory.
Trailing by a single goal (3-2) at the end of the first quarter, Iona managed only six more scores in an eight-goal loss.
Junior Ratsko Jevdjovic led the Maroon and Gold with two goals on three shots. Graduate student/tri-captain Trippe Bauman, graduate student James DiSalle, graduate student/tri-captain Mohamed Refaat, freshman Hugh Coyle, freshman Pavle Musikic and freshman Daniel Raz each scored once in the contest as Iona netted eight goals on 34 shots with four assists.
In his first start in goal, freshman PJ Bartzen had 12 saves on 31 Lancers’ shots, made two steals and allowed 16 goals.
On defense, senior Edward Imm blocked one Cal Baptist shot. The Gaels made three steals. Iona drew 16 Lancers kickouts with four each by junior Matthew Mischlich and junior Luksa Vlasic and three each by DiSalle and Jevdjovic, while being ejected five times with four five-meter penalties. Vlasic was disqualified with three ejections in the fourth quarter. Iona scored five man-up goals on 14 chances, while Cal Baptist had two on four opportunities. The Gaels turned the ball over 15 times. Iona won one of four swim offs.
With 2:43 gone in the match, the Lancers struck first, but DiSalle’s man-up goal locked the game at one all with 4:31 to go. On its next trip down the pool, Cal Baptist did the same to go back up one 2-1 just 28 seconds later. Jevdjovic retied the score at two with 2:21 left, but with ten ticks later the Lancers answered with a five-meter penalty goal for a 3-2 edge going into the second quarter.
The Lancers opened the second frame with two straight five-meter penalty scores to go up 5-2 with 53 seconds gone. Continuing a 5-0 run, Cal Baptist tacked on two more goals for a five-score 7-2 edge at the 4:42 mark. Coyle ended the Gaels’ offensive drought with his first Iona goal to slice the Lancers lead to four at 7-3 with 2:56 remaining in the first half. After another Cal Baptist goal, Bauman found the back of the net to reduce the Lancers advantage to 8-4 heading into halftime.
Cal Baptist upped its margin to five at 9-4 with 2:37 gone in the third quarter, then Musikic pulled Iona back within 9-5 just 56 seconds later. On their next chance, the Lancers went back in front by five at 10-5 with 3:53 on the clock. Following Refaat’s score, Cal Baptist added two more goals, including its fourth five-meter penalty shot. for a 12-6 edge going into the final eight minutes of regulation.
Riding a 3-0 run, the Lancers went up 13-6 with 6:19 remaining in the game. Raz got Iona back within six at 13-7, but Cal Baptist answered on its next chance. Jedjovic’s second score trimmed Cal Baptist’s lead back to six at 14-8. However, the Lancers sealed their 16-8 win with two straight scores in the closing 1:23.
Taking on New York metro region rival Long Island in a non-conference game, Iona claimed its first win of the season.
After three quarters that featured six ties and three lead changes, the Gaels took the lead for good and outscored LIU 5-2 in the closing three minutes.
Musikic led the Maroon and Gold with four goals on 10 shots, while Refaat and Vlasic both contributed three markers to accompany a pair by Mischlich. Bauman, Imm, Jevdjovic and DiSalle each chipped in solo scores as the Gaels converted on 16-of-39 shots with ten assists. Bauman (three), Refaat (two) and Vlasic (two) each dished out multi-helpers in the game.
In goal in the first half, Bartzen had one save on 12 Sharks’ shots and permitted nine goals. In the second half, freshman Eric Caplener stopped seven-of-13 LIU shots, made four steals, handed out a pool-length assist and allowed five goals.
On defense, Iona made seven steals with two by Vlasic and blocked two Long Island shots. Iona drew 10 Long Island kick-outs with three each by Musikic and Mischlich, while being ejected nine times with one five-meter penalty. The Gaels turned the ball over eight times. Iona won one-of-four swim offs and converted on four-of-12 man-up bids while holding LIU to a two-for-eight performance with a man-advantage.
Neither squad scored until Vlasic found the back of the net with 3:36 left in the opening eight minutes. However, LIU tied the game at one all just 23 seconds later and snagged a 2-1 lead with 1:51 on the first quarter clock. Long Island went up 3-1 with 1:01 remaining, but Bauman capitalized on a man-up chance with one second left in the opening frame to get the Gaels within 3-2 heading into the second quarter.
The Sharks retook a two-score lead 35 seconds into the second quarter, but Vlasic’s second goal got the Gaels back to within one at 4-3. After LIU went back up by a pair at 5-3, Musikic ignited a 3-0 Iona run with goals by Imm and Vlasic to place the Gaels in front by a 6-5 count. Two straight Sharks’ goals pushed LIU in front by a 7-6 score with 2:19 until halftime. Following an equalizer by Refaat with 1:11 on the clock, back-to-back Sharks’ strikes provided Long Island a 9-7 margin entering intermission.
Jevdjovic commenced the third quarter by slicing the LIU lead down to 9-8 43 seconds into the second half. Long Island answered on the program’s next trip down the pool for a 10-8 edge one minute into the frame.
The teams continued to trade scoring blows as Musikic’s trimmed Iona’s deficit back to one before the Sharks responded again for a 11-9 lead at the 5:41 mark. Two Iona goals by Mischlich and Refaat tied the game at 11-all with 4:17 left in the quarter. After LIU briefly retook a 12-11 lead, Musikic and DiSalle, assisted by Caplener, resulted in the match’s sixth tie and a 13-12 Iona advantage.
Adding to a 4-0 Gaels run in the closing 50 seconds of the third quarter, Musikic and Mischlich gave Iona a 15-12 lead going into the final eight minutes of regulation.
Neither squad scored in closing minutes of the game until the Sharks capitalized on a man-up chance to chop the Gaels edge to 15-13 at the 2:19 mark. After an Iona timeout, Refaat’s third goal restored a three-goal at 16-13 as Iona survived an LIU five-meter penalty shot with 57 ticks left to escape with a 16-14 win.
Information courtesy Iona University Athletics Communications
