PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The No. 17-ranked United States Naval Academy water polo team improved to 15-4 by posting an 18-14 victory at Brown University’s Katherine Moran Coleman Aquatics Center against the host Bears during the final day of the Harvard Invitational.
“It was a good way to end the non-conference season for us,” said head coach Luis Nicolao. “Brown is a very good team; well coached. They have good players so we knew today was going to be a battle. I am proud of the way our guys came out today. They jumped out early and were able to build a sizable lead that was able to carry us to a win.”
“After what seems like forever, we will now return back to Annapolis for some games. We are excited to return home and be able to finally play in front of our fans for the first time since early September.”
Eight different Midshipmen scored in the game with five Navy players registering multiple goals. Kiefer Black led the team with six goals, while Aiden Day joined him with a hat trick of his own. Declan Bartlett, Luka Sekulic and Billy Zech each notched two goals with James Mulvey, Jack Pointner and Jack Reif also finding the back of the net.
Navy played a pair of goalies in the game. Ryan Munch earned the start and worked the first two quarters with nine saves. Jack Rodoni entered the game at halftime, working the second half with six stops.
The Midshipmen started the game strong, jumping out to a 6-2 first-quarter lead. Black started the scoring with back-to-back games to open play. Brown countered with a goal, but Zech and Pointner responded to push the advantage to 4-1. Following a Bears’ goal, the Midshipmen closed out the frame with goals by Day and Zech.
Navy increased its lead to seven at the half. Brown started the quarter with a goal, but Sekulic, D. Bartlett and Reif countered to push the Mids’ lead to 9-3. Following a Bears’ goal, Black netted back-to-back scores to push the advantage to 11-4. The home team added a score, but Day closed out the half with a goal to send the game into halftime with Navy up 12-5.
In the second half, Black and Mulvey each scored to increase the advantage to nine, 14-5. Brown scored, but Day converted a five-meter attempt to extend the advantage back to nine. The Bears scored three of the final four goals of the quarter with Black netting his sixth goal of the game for the Midshipmen.
Brown started the fourth quarter with a goal, but D. Bartlett and Sekulic responded, putting the game out of reach, 18-10. The Bears closed out the game with four straight goals to provide the final margin of 18-14.
Release courtesy United States Naval Academy Athletics Communications
