ERIE, Pa. — Goalie Nash Greeven (So., Vista, Calif./Cathedral Catholic) made 19 saves to claim Player of the Game honors as Mercyhurst University edged Connecticut College, 14-12, in the opening game of the 2019 Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC)-West Region Championship at the David M. Hallman III Aquatics Center.
The victory advances the Lakers into the tournament semifinals at 3:30 p.m. where Mercyhurst will meet top seed and MAWPC-West regular season champion Gannon University for a spot in the championship game at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 10. The loss drops Connecticut into the consolation side of the bracket as the Camels will take on the fallen from a first round clash between Monmouth College and McKendree University at 2:00 p.m.
Mercyhurst jumped out to leads of 1-0 and 2-1 against Connecticut prior to the Camels getting over the hump to rally back for a 3-2 margin at the conclusion of the opening frame of competition.
Down by one after eight minutes of action, the Lakers set sail to victory as Mathieu Davis (So., Montego Bay, Jamaica/Wolmer’s Boys’ School) and Derek Kagen (Fr., San Diego, Calif./Clairemont) ticked off back-to-back markers at 6:33 and 5:38, respectively, in the second quarter to push Mercyhurst ahead 4-3. Connecticut knotted the score at four-all at 5:19 via a strike by Sean King (Sr., La Canada, Calif./Flintridge Prep), but Ryan Witoslawski (Sr., Harleysville, Pa./Souderton) and Daniel Alvarez (Sr., Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago) swished back-to-back shots at 5:02 and 2:48 to return the lead to Mercyhurst at 6-4.
Connecticut moved back within one at 6-5 courtesy a tally by Arturo Freitas (Sr., Weston, Fla./Cypress Bay) with 2:28 left in the first half. The margin swayed from two to one and finally back to a pair prior to the end of the second quarter as the Lakers carried an 8-6 lead into intermission.
Mercyhurst began to pull away in the opening moments of the third quarter as back-to-back-to-back goals at 6:28, 4:44 and 2:03 staked the Lakers to an 11-6 lead prior to the Camels delivering a response at 1:48 to cut their deficit to 11-7 leading into the final eight minutes of action.
Connecticut began to close within striking distance of the Lakers in the dawning moments of the fourth quarter as a trio of tallies at 7:45, 7:26 and 6:38 inched the Camels within 12-9.
Mercyhurst attempted to stymie Connecticut’s progress as Witoslawski hit the twine at 5:32, but a man-up marker (5:11) followed by a natural goal (5:11) by Freitas put the Camels on the doorstep of a comeback in moving his squad to within 13-11.
However, neither team was able to take advantage of its chances until Jonathan Merkley (Jr., Portland, Ore./David Douglas) delivered some insurance for the Lakers by rifling in a shot with 35 ticks on the clock to pad Mercyhurst’s lead to 14-11. Connecticut got the goal back with 21 seconds left as Christian Jacobsen (Fr.) delivered a response, but the Lakers were able to hang on for a 14-12 victory.
For Mercyhurst, Alex Cappuccio (Sr., Havre de Grace, Md./Calvert Hall), Alvarez and Witoslawski led the way with hat-tricks (three goals), while Kagen, Merkley, Paul Goddard (Fr., Orlando, Fla./East River), Davis and Michael Gutman (So., Columbus, Ohio/Saint Charles Prep) accounted for solo strikes.
Freitas (five), Jacobsen (three) and Sam Guy (Fr., Portland, Ore./Lincoln) (two) posted multi-goal games for Connecticut with King and Mike Gertsik (So., Brooklyn, N.Y./Leon M. Goldstein) racking up single scores. Goalie Tanner Michaelis (Jr., Ramona, Calif./Ramona) stopped 14 shots in taking the loss.
| 1st Q | 2nd Q | 3rd Q | 4th Q | – | FINAL | |
| Connecticut College | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | – | 12 |
| Mercyhurst University | 2 | 6 | 3 | 3 | – | 14 |
| Mercyhurst Goals: | Alex Cappuccio (3); Daniel Alvarez (3); Ryan Witoslawski (3); Derek Kagen; Jonathan Merkley; Paul Goddard; Mathieu Davis; Michael Gutman; | |||||
| Connecticut Goals: | Arturo Freitas (5); Christian Jacobsen (3); Sam Guy (2); Sean King; Mike Gertsik | |||||
| Saves: | Mercyhurst – Nash Greeven (19) ; Connecticut – Tanner Michaelis (14) | |||||
| Exclusions: | Mercyhurst – 10 ; Connecticut – 5 | |||||
| Advantage Opportunities: | Mercyhurst -3-for-5 ; Connecticut – 4-for-10 | |||||
| Sprints: | Mercyhurst – 4-for-4 ; Connecticut – 0-for-4 | |||||
| Cards/Misconducts: | None | |||||
| Officials: | Hadi Fardi; Igor Mernenko | |||||
Connecticut College’s Sean King (#17) looks for an opening as Mercyhurst University’s Michael Gutman (#2) defends
Mercyhurst University’s Ryan Witoslawski (#9) looks for an opening in front of the cage as Connecticut College’s Mike Gertski (#12) defends
Connecticut College’s Arturo Freitas (#10) shoots as Mercyhurst University’s Paul Goddard (#16) tries for a field block
