PRINCETON, N.J. – The No. 17-ranked United States Naval Academy water polo team split a pair of games on its first day of competition at the 2024 Princeton Invitational at Princeton University’s DeNunzio Pool. The Midshipmen fell to the host/No. 6 Tigers, 20-10, but rebounded for a 17-6 defeat of Iona University.
“Today didn’t go exactly how we wanted it to go,” said head coach Luis Nicolao. “Princeton humbled us a little bit, but I was proud of how the guys responded against Iona. We have another tough test tomorrow with Pacific who is a top 10 team, but it should be another good test for us.”
Led by five goals by Billy Zech, the Mids tallied 27 goals in the two games on the day. Kiefer Black led the team with six points netting four goals with a pair of assists. Austin Kahn led the team with four assists, adding a goal for five points. Connor Cashman, Orion Erwin and Luka Sekulic added three goals apiece with Quinn Bartlett, Maddox Garrahy and Michael Heller chipping in two goals each. Holden Seybold and Henry Williams rounded out the scoring on the day with one goal each.
Navy used a trio of goalkeepers on the day. Jack Hightower worked a complete game against the nationally-ranked Tigers, finishing with a team-best six saves. Jack Rodoni earned the start against Iona, finishing the first half with four stops and a save before giving way to Ryan Munch who worked the final 16 minutes of action between the posts recording five saves.
Against Princeton, the Tigers took an early four-goal lead through the first quarter. The home team jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead before Zech trimmed the margin to one. Princeton added a score, but Black converted a five-meter opportunity to once again cut the deficit to one. Princeton used a 3-0 run to push the advantage to 6-2. Erwin snapped the streak with a goal, but the Tigers ended the quarter with a goal to go ahead 7-3.
The two teams matched one another in the second quarter. Black and Garrahy used back-to-back scores to trim the deficit to two, but Princeton responded with a pair of goals of its own to take a 9-5 advantage into halftime.
In the second half, the Tigers opened the scoring with a goal, but Heller countered with his first score of the day. Princeton was able to extend its lead, outscoring Navy 6-2 the remainder of the third quarter. Zech and Erwin both notched their second goals of the game, but the Mids trailed 16-8 through three quarters.
The fourth quarter saw the Tigers push the lead to 20-8, but the Midshipmen closed out the game with goals by Kahn and Cashman to reach double figures. With the 10 goals, Navy is the first team this season to score double digit goals against Princeton.
Navy got back into the win column against Iona with an 11-goal victory.
Iona was the first team to score, to take an early 1-0 lead, but Navy countered with seven straight goals and eight of the final 10 goals of the first half to take an 8-3 lead into intermission. Sekulic tied the game at one-all and Black gave the Midshipmen a lead they refused to relinquish. Bartlett and Seybold extended the advantage to 4-1 through one quarter.
Navy’s 7-0 run continued in the second quarter with Black, Bartlett and Zech adding to the goal total. Iona notched a marker to end the run, but Sekulic countered with a strike. The Gaels closed out the half with a goal, but the Midshipmen led 8-3.
In the third quarter, Navy outscored Iona by a 7-1 count. Garrahy and Erwin opened the quarter with goals. Iona slipped one by the keeper, but Navy answered with goals by Zech (twice), Cashman, Sekulic and Heller to take a 15-4 lead into the final eight minutes of regulation.
The fourth quarter saw the two teams match one another. The Gaels started the quarter with a goal but Williams and Cashman responded with scores. Iona was able to score the final goal of the game to the 17-6 final tally.
Information courtesy United States Naval Academy Athletics Communications
