PRINCETON, N.J. — The No. 17-ranked Fordham University water polo team fell just short of perfect weekend at the Princeton University Invitational as the Rams downed No. 18 St. Francis College Brooklyn, 17-8, prior to dropping a 13-12 game to the host/No. 19 Tigers.
Facing St. Francis Brooklyn, Fordham led wire-to-wire after taking the initial lead in the first quarter on a goal by Nir Gross. The Rams netted five goals in the first quarter and did not look back, scoring four in the second, six in the third, and two in the fourth for the 17-goal total.
For the Rams, George Papanikolaou had a big game with three goals, four assists and three steals, while Christos Loupakis notched a game-high four goals. Balasz Berenyi added three goals and two steals with Gross and Jacopo Parrella each scoring twice. The remaining goals came from Curtis Vidinoff, Daniel Lynch and Nacho Ariste. In net, Thomas Lercari made 13 saves to go with two steals and an assist.
In the Invitational finale, it was a rematch of last year’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) opening round match between the Rams and host Tigers. Fordham led after three quarters by a 10-8 score, but the Tigers rallied for five goals in the final frame to take the 13-12 decision.
After Princeton tied the game at 10-all early in the fourth quarter, Luke Johnston scored on the man-up advantage to give the Tigers the led for the first time since the second quarter.
Gross answered for Fordham to tie the game at 11-all, but with 1:46 left, Roko Pozaric scored his fourth goal of the game to put Princeton back on top. Princeton made it a two-goal game after converting on a penalty shot with 23 seconds left. The Rams got a late extra-man goal from Loupakis but ran out of time in falling by a 13-12 count.
For Fordham, Parrella scored a game-high five goals, while Loupakis added three markers. Gross, Jason Hiremath, Papanikolaou and Ariste had the remaining markers for the Rams.
Release courtesy Fordham University Athletics Communications
