BRONX/STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Mount St. Mary’s University split a pair of Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) matches in New York by winning 15-14 at Wagner College in Staten Island and falling at No.5-ranked Fordham University by a 24-8 score in the Bronx. The split moves the Mountaineers’ record to 8-14 with a 2-5 MAWPC mark.
In the first quarter of the game against Wagner, four Mountaineers found the back of cage. Luka Urosevic beat the goalie twice, while Neven Cerkez, Danko Kesic and Giannis Skliras each dented the twine once.
Going into the second quarter, the Mount was up 5-4 before Urosevic, Cerkez and Kesic each added another tally next to their names. Aaron Tarr and Aleksandar Radosavljevic also scored a goal each as the Mountaineers claimed a 10-7 lead by halftime.
The Mount scored three goals in the third quarter as Tarr, Cerkez and Radosavljevic fired in strikes to stake the Mount to a 13-10 margin through 24 minutes of action.
In the final quarter, Kesic dented the twine to earn a hat-trick and Will Matthews scored final goal on the Mount side as the Mountaineers staved a Seahawks’ comeback bid to escape New York with a 15-14 victory.
Kesic (three), Cerkez (three), Urosevic (three), Radosavljevic (two), Tarr (two), Skliras and Matthews combined for Mount St. Mary’s offensive output in picking up the win.
Taking on defending MAWPC Champion Fordham, the Mount managed three goals in the first quarter. Matthews scored the first goal followed by goals from Cerkez and Urosevic as the Mountaineers trailed 6-3 after the opening eight minutes of competition.
In the second, the Mount dented the net three times again via goals by Skliras, Giacomo Graff and Kesic. However, the Rams butted in seven tallies to nab a 13-6 lead heading into halftime.
In the second half, the Mount was held scoreless for the duration of the third quarter and the first three minutes of the fourth, while Fordham fired in six tallies during the third quarter.
The Mountaineers broke through in the fourth quarter by solo markers by Radosavljevic and Kesic compared to five more scores by the Rams as Fordham defended its home tank with a 24-8 win.
Kesic scored twice in the loss with Matthews, Cerkez, Urosevic, Skliras, Graff and Radosavljevic accounting for solo strikes.
Information courtesy Mount St. Mary’s University Athletics Communications
