CASSVILLE, W.Va. — It took a total of seven overtimes – including a pair of sudden-death goals – but the Long Island University men’s water polo team pulled out victories to defeat the University of Toronto, 18-17, and Mount St. Mary’s University, 14-13, at the Salem Invitational hosted by Salem University at The Peak Health Aquatic Center at Mylan Park.
Facing Toronto in the program’s first game of the day, the Sharks fired in six goals during the fourth quarter to overcome a 12-10 deficit to force overtime. It was in the second sudden-death frame that freshman Jack French broke the tie and put LIU on top.
Leading 3-2 after eight minutes of competition, Long Island fell behind 9-3 entering halftime as Toronto exploited a 7-3 second half scoring margin to put the Sharks on the defensive. LIU chipped away at its deficit in the third quarter by outscoring Toronto 4-3 to move within a pair heading into the final eight minutes of regulation.
Josep Jodra Munoz opened the fourth quarter with a strike 27 second into the frame to inch LIU within 12-11, but Omer Sayli responded at 6:25 to return Toronto’s lead to a pair. David Shalman (6:02) drilled in a counterpoint for the Sharks, but Toronto answered again at 4:55. French (4:34) and Derek Hanel (3:53) squared the squads at 14-all, but Sayli (3:19) and Diego Gonzalez Delgado (2:39) appeared to put Toronto in front to stay by pushing their squad out to a 16-14 lead with approaching two minutes left on the fourth quarter clock.
However, Riyad Shehadeh came to the rescue by torquing in shots at 1:29 and with seven seconds left in regulation to even the damage at 16-all and force overtime.
LIU pushed in front 15-14 as Jodra Munoz lined in a shot with one second left in the first overtime period, but James Glaser fired back for Toronto by stuffing in a shot with 2:06 remaining in the second overtime period to make it a 17-all contest.
Following a scoreless first sudden overtime period, French finished off the win by putting away the game-winner with 40 seconds to go in the second sudden death overtime frame for the golden goal.
Jodra Munoz (seven goals), Shehadeh (five goals), French (four goals), Hanel and Shalman accounted for Long Island’s scoring, while Ryan Roth stopped six shots to claim the win in cage.
The tables turned on the Sharks in the late game as Long Island held a 10-7 lead heading into the fourth quarter. However, Mount St. Mary’s mustered a 4-1 scoring advantage in the fourth quarter to deadlock the teams at 11-all entering 32 minutes of action.
Following a scoreless first overtime period, the Mountaineers appeared to put the contest away with back-to-back strikes from Ayden Hess (2:27) and Aidan Zeiger (1:24) putting LIU in a 13-11 hole with under 90 seconds to play.
However, Shehadeh (1:10, penalty shot) and Charlie Downey (28 seconds, man-up) exploited Mount St. Mary’s foibles to even the score at 13-all and force sudden death overtime.
Sam Odenkirk played hero as he converted for the game-winner with 1:33 remaining for the golden goal to allow LIU to finish 2-0 on the day.
Jodra Munoz (four), Shehadeh (two), French (two), Hanel (two), Odenkirk, Downey and Logan Morgan combined for the Sharks’ scoring frenzy in support of a nine save performance by Manuel Diez Teran.
Information courtesy Long Island University Athletics Communications
