STOCKTON, Calif. — The No. 7-ranked Princeton University men’s water polo team traveled to Stockton for its second to last game in the Golden State for a rematch against No. 4 University of the Pacific. Similarly to the last meeting between the two teams, the game came down to the wire as the West Coast Tigers caged the East Coast Tigers, 12-11
Princeton got on the board quickly thanks to a Vladan Mitrovic goal just 15 seconds into the game. The two teams went back and forth as Pacific took a 3-2 lead after the first quarter.
Finn LeSieur and Roko Pozaric each notched a goal to take back the lead to start the second quarter. Pacific tied things up before Logan McCarroll sent the ball to the back of the cage. Pozaric scored his second of the matchup but Pacific added one to make it a one goal lead in Princeton’s favor at half.
Pacific had a strong offensive attack with five goals and held Princeton to just one in the third quarter.
Princeton tried to fight their way back from the three goal deficit. Luke Johnston, Tas Palcza and LeSieur all scored in the fourth quarter in an effort to catch the Tigers by the tail, but Pacific was able to close out the game to escape with a one-goal victory.
For Princeton, LeSieur, Mitrovic, Palcza and Pozaric each scored twice, while McCarroll and Johnston chipped in solo markers. Kristóf Kovács stopped seven Pacific shots in the loss.
Across the tank,Mihailo Vukazic keyed Pacific with five goals and an assist, while Jeremie Cote and Gil Gvishi notched two goals apiece, while Cote also distributed a pair of assists. Reuel D’Souza, Ori Buzaglo and graduate student Oliver Fodor also found the back of the net for Pacific.
Goalkeeper Bae Fountain made 13 stops in net as Pacific improved to 8-3 all-time against Princeton.
The game marked the second meeting of the year between the programs as Pacific – which remains undefeated with a 12-0 record – eluded then host Princeton by an identical 12-11 score on September 15 on the road at DeNunzio Pool on the final day of the Princeton Invitational. Overall, Pacific has played three one goal games on the season by defeating Princeton twice and topping Harvard University on the road in Cambridge, Mass., by a 15-14 score on September 8.
Information courtesy Princeton University Athletics Communications
