NEW ROCHELLE/STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — No. 7-ranked Princeton University defeated hosts Iona University, 15-7, and Long Island University, 27-13, as the Tigers recorded 42 goals on the day to claim victory in their first two Northeast Water Polo Conference (NWPC) games of 2024.
Against Iona, Gavin Molloy got Princeton on the board quickly followed up by a goal from Nathan Banos to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead after the first quarter.
Iona put up a goal to start the second quarer, but the Princeton offensive attack was too much as the Tigers took a 7-3 lead going into the halftime break.
Princeton added eight goals in the second half from seven different scorers including two from Finn LeSieur to wrap up his second hat trick of the season.
The Tigers held off Iona from capitalizing on their possessions with 10 steals in the game, four of which came from Kristóf Kovács. The four steals were the most by a Princeton goalie since 2017.
LeSieur led the offense for Princeton with a hat-trick, while Enrique Nuño and Isaac Rotenberg each notched pairs. Banos, George Caras, Vladan Mitrovic, Molloy, JP Ohl, Tas Palcza, Roko Pozaric and Tigran Sennett accounted for solo markers in support of an 11 save effort by Kovács.
The Tigers kept their foot on the gas and had the goals pouring in for their second game of the afternoon versus Long Island.
Gavin Appeldorn scored just 16 seconds into the matchup against the Sharks. Appeldorn recorded his second of the quarter after a goal from Molloy to put Princeton up 3-0. LIU tacked on the program’s first goal to try and keep the Tigers within reach but the offensive onslaught was too much to handle.
Logan McCarroll added two goals to wrap up the first as Princeton took an 8-3 lead.
The Tigers recorded seven goals in the second quarter to add to their total.
Princeton pushed the pace with another seven goals in the third quarter, with Banos recording two for his second multi-goal game of the season. LIU looked to get things going with five goals in the quarter but the score stood at 21-11.
Princeton took care of business with a dominant fourth quarter courtesy pairs of goals from Luke Hammarskjold and Appeldorn joined the first career goal by Daniel Rodriguez.
Appeldorn and McCarroll each had four goals in the win. Enrique Nuño recorded his first career hat trick. Banos, Hammarskjold, LeSieur, Molloy and Pozaric each accounted for pairs of goals with Caras, Ohl, Ádám Peocz, Rodriguez, Rotenberg and Sennett slipping in solo strikes to support a nine save performance by Kovács.
The 27 goals are the second most scored in a single game in program history, this season and this month as Princeton defeated Occidental College by a 31-7 score on September 7 at the United States Naval Academy.
Release courtesy Princeton University Athletics Communications
