LEWISBURG, Pa. — Mount St. Mary’s University dropped games to No. 5-ranked Fordham University, 23-5, and Division III No. 9 the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 15-10, on the first day of the 2026 Bucknell Invitational hosted by Bucknell University at Kinney Natatorium.
Matias Miranda earned a hat-trick against Fordham, while Luka Urosevic and Neven Cerkez notched hat-tricks versus MIT. Linc Smith was in goal for both games recording a total of nine saves during the duration of the day.
Against Fordham in a Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) games, the Mountaineers found themselves down 13-1 going into halftime with MSM’s goal coming from Miranda in the second quarter. The Mount was held scoreless by the Rams n the first quarter as the defending MAWPC Champions dominated the contest from whistle to horn.
Tight defense continued into the second half as the Mount was only able to score one more goal in the third quarter also from Miranda. Trailing 19-2 entering the fourth quarter, the Mount tallied a trio of strikes in the final eight minutes of action as Miranda, Urosevic and Will Matthews fired home markers.
Smith made four saves in taking a loss to the Rams and later added five more facing the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Facing MIT, Cerkez put the Mountaineers on the scoresheet in the first quarter before Aleksandar Radosavljevic flung in a tally as the Mount trailed 3-2. Urosevic (two), Cerkez and Urosevic buried chances in the second quarter as Mount St. Mary’s trailed MIT by a 9-6 count entering halftime.
Radosavljevic commenced the third quarter with another marker to keep the Mountaineers in the contest. Jack Fox later added another MSM notch as the team trailed 12-8 heading into the fourth quarter.
Aaron Tarr and Cerkez deposited opportunities in the fourth quarter, but the Engineers swished three more scoring tries to keep the Mountaineers in check.
Information courtesy Mount St. Mary’s University Athletics Communications
