BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — St. Francis College Brooklyn rising junior Nikita Prokhin (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada) did not score and added an assist as Canada opened the 2017 Summer Universiade tournament with a 17-3 loss to defending champion Hungary in Taipei City, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan).
A 2016 Northeast Water Polo Conference (NWPC) Second Team selection, Prokhin, who holds dual citizenship in both Kazakhstan and Canada after emigrating as a 10-year old and gain citizenship in Canada in 2014, is among only two players on the Canadian roster currently competing at a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) institution along with Devon Thumwood of the University of Pacific.
The Hungarians opened the scoring three minutes into the match, but the Canadians rallied soon after with a goal from Reuel D’Souza. That was all the scoring Canada could generate in the first half, however, as Hungary owned a 9-1 advantage by halftime.
Canada was held scoreless in the third period before adding two goals from Sean Spooner and Thumwood late in the fourth. Hungary outshot Canada 33-13 overall.
Goalkeeper Andrei Velasevic made five saves in his international debut for Canada.
Up next for the Canadians will be the Opening Ceremonies which will welcome over 11,000 student-athletes and staff from more than 140 countries on August 19 at 7:00 p.m. local time (7:00 a.m. Eastern), at Taipei Stadium. The ceremony will be webcast live on https://www.livestream.com/fisu.
Canada returns to the pool on August 20 when they take on South Africa at 2:20 a.m. Eastern.
Information courtesy Water Polo Canada
