PRINCETON, N.J. – Tied 12-12 in the final minute of the fourth quarter, sophomore Maddox Garrahy was able to score with 23 seconds remaining to give the No. 19-ranked United States Naval Academy water polo team a 13-12 victory over No. 16 Harvard University on the second day of competition at the Princeton Invitational hosted by Princeton University at DeNunzio Pool.
“Today was as outstanding game,” said Navy head coach Luis Nicolao. “There were scoring runs for both teams and either team could’ve come away with the win. Thankfully, Maddox was able to pick the right moment to score and give us the victory!”
“This was a good weekend for us,” added Nicolao. “We were able to get some wins and pull our overall record even at 4-4. We now get to come home and host the Navy Open. We are looking forward to another incredible weekend of water polo in front of our home fans.”
James Mulvey led all players with six total points, notching a team-high three goals with a team-best three assists. Quinn Bartlett and Kiefer Black added two scores apiece with Black chipping a pair of helpers on the day. Aiden Day, Orion Erwin, Luka Sekulic, Holden Seybold and Billy Zech each found the back of the net with Garrahy’s only tally serving as the game winner. Connor Cashman, Day and Seybold also added assists in the contest.
Ryan Munch worked a complete game between the posts at goal for the Midshipmen. The sophomore registered seven stops, while leading the team with four steals.
Navy started off strong, building up a 6-3 lead through one quarter of play. Seybold, the team captain, got things started with a goal. Harvard converted a five-meter, but Bartlett regained the Mids’ lead with a score. Sekulic, Day and Mulvey pushed the advantage to 5-1 before the Crimson used a pair of scores, including a second penalty goal of the quarter to trim the margin to 5-3. Erwin closed out the quarter with a goal, giving the Midshipmen a three-goal advantage.
Harvard opened the second quarter with back-to-back goals, including a third penalty shot of the first half. Black countered with a five-meter of his own to extend the advantage back to two, 7-5. Following a Crimson goal, Mulvey powered ahead to extend the advantage back to two. The two goal advantage would not hold as Harvard was able to score before halftime to send the game into intermission with Navy in front, 8-7.
In the third quarter, the two teams exchanged goals. Bartlett’s goal was countered by a Harvard score. Black notched his second tally of the game, but the Crimson matched it to send the game into the final quarter of regulation with the Mids holding on to a narrow 10-9 lead.
Harvard opened the fourth quarter with three straight goals to tie and overtake the lead, 12-10. Mulvey completed his hat trick with a goal to cut the margin in half. Zech knotted the game at a dozen apiece, setting up Garrahy’s dramatic game-winning goal in the final 30 seconds.
Release courtesy United States Naval Academy Athletics Communications
