ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The No. 17-ranked United States Naval Academy water polo team improved to 16-4, 5-1 in the Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) by opening a six-game homestand with a 19-15 victory over George Washington University (10-10, 1-4 MAWPC) at Lejeune Hall. The Midshipmen and Revolutionaries exchanged goals for the first three quarters before a 3-0 run by junior attacker Quinn Bartlett gave the Mids a cushion and helped lead to the four-goal win.
“Tonight wasn’t the prettiest game, but we will take it,” head coach Luis Nicolao said after the win. “George Washington played us tough. They always do. We didn’t start the game very strong on defense, allowing 10 goals in the first half. We were able to tighten that up in the second half and hold them to just five in the second half and allow the offense to pull away. I am happy with the result.
“We have our alumni game tomorrow so I am excited to see a bunch of the former players back in town. We will enjoy our time with them at the alumni game and at the football game on Saturday, but then it is back in the pool against a really tough Fordham team on Sunday.”
Nine different Midshipmen found the back of the net in the game, including five that notched multiple scores.
The Bartlett brothers led the charge for the Mids on Friday night. Quinn Bartlett paced the team with five goals and an assist for six points, while Declan Bartlett tallied seven points on three goals and a team-high four assists.
Luka Sekulic added five points on three goals and a pair of assists. Kiefer Black added six points on a pair of goals, while matching D. Bartlett with four assists. Aiden Day chipped in four points on two goals and a pair of assists. Aiden Berry, Connor Cashman, Colin McPhail and Jack Reif rounded out the scoring with one goal each to accompany a solo assist by Cashman.
Ryan Munch earned the win at goal. The junior worked a complete game, finishing with nine saves and a steal.
In the first quarter, Black started the scoring, putting Navy in front early, 1-0. After George Washington tied the score, D. Bartlett scored a pair of goals around a Revolutionaries’ five-meter goal to give the Midshipmen a 3-2 advantage. GW once again tied the game, but Cashman put the Mids back in front with a goal. McPhail followed with a goal to give Navy a 5-3 advantage. George Washington closed the quarter with a goal to pull to within one, 5-4.
The visitors tied the game at five-all to start the second quarter, but Sekulic countered with a goal to regain the lead. Following another equalizer by GW, D. Bartlett scored his third goal of the first half to retake a one-goal lead, 7-6. Reif pushed the advantage to two with a score, but a five-meter goal by George Washington closed the gap to one, 8-7. Black and Day scored back-to-back goals to extend the lead to three. After a GW goal, Q. Bartlett extended the margin back to three, but the Revolutionaries cut the Mids’ lead to one at the half, 11-10.
In the third quarter, the two teams traded goals with Berry and Sekulic finding the back of the net for the Midshipmen.
Leading 13-12 to start the fourth quarter, Q. Bartlett scored three straight goals to start the final eight minutes of regulation and give the Midshipmen a 16-12 advantage – the largest lead of the night for Navy. George Washington ended Q. Bartlett’s individual 3-0 run with a goal, but Day converted a five-meter attempt to extend the margin back to four, 17-13. Navy and George Washington traded markers to end the quarter with Sekulic and Q. Bartlett firing in goals for the Mids to provide the final margin of 19-15.
Release courtesy United States Naval Academy Athletics Communications
