BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — St. Francis College Brooklyn’s Nikita Prokhin (Jr., Mississauga, Ontario, Canada) scored once in 19:17 of playing time as Canada suffered a 7-6 setback against the United Kingdom/Great Britain in the Round of 16 at the at the 2017 Summer Universiade in Taipei City, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan). The loss prevents Canada from finishing among the Top Eight as the squad will next be in action on Friday, August 25, at 9:00 a.m. local time against the Republic of South Africa in a 9th-16th Place game.
Due to the loss, Canada falls to 1-3 at the tournament after losing to defending champion Hungary (17-3 L, August 18), downing South Africa (8-4 W, August 20) and taking a 28-2 setback against Serbia (Monday, August 21) to complete Pool C action. Prokhin posted an assist versus Hungary and notched a steal against South Africa. He did not post a statistic of note against Serbia.
Canada jumped out in front early in the game as Sean Spooner buried a center shot with 5:34 remaining in the first quarter prior to Prokhin cashing in on a man-up chance at 5:13 off an assist from Michael Chapman to go ahead 2-0.
Leading 3-2 at the conclusion of the opening frame, the Canadians stayed in front throughout the second quarter by pushing the margin to 4-2 prior to Great Britain answering to make it 4-3 at halftime.
Ahead once again by a pair at 5-3 in the dawning moments of the third quarter, Canada saw its lead dwindle to 5-4 prior to a penalty shot by Devon Thumwood at 5:05 reinflating the margin to 6-4. However, the British bristled and battled back to knot the game at six-all prior to the conclusion of the third quarter and set-up a climatic fourth quarter of play.
Aaron Winstaley deposited the difference-maker with 6:31 left in the final frame as he flushed a man-up feed from Addison Esmond Brown for the final goal of the contest to permit Great Britain to escape with a 7-6 win.
The victory advances England into a quarterfinal clash with France and former Salem International University standout and French Olympian Michal Izdinsky at 1:30 p.m. local time on Friday, August 25, with the winner securing at least a Top Four finish at the tournament.
The World University games feature a total of 16 teams competing for the title as Taiwan/Chinese Taipei, France, the Republic of Korea and Great Britain competed in Pool A. Italy, Australia, the Netherlands and Argentina contested Pool B, with Canada, South Africa, Hungary and Serbia battling in Pool C. The United States, Russia, Japan and Romania squared off in Pool D.
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 Thumwood of the University of Pacific.
