ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The United States Naval Academy water polo team improved to 12-6 overall, 5-0 in the Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC), as the Midshipmen posted an 18-14 victory over Bucknell University at Lejeune Hall.
The win completes a 3-0 MAWPC weekend for the Mids who defeated Mercyhurst University (21-8 W) and Mount St. Mary’s University (22-12 W) on Saturday, September 27.
“This was a good weekend for us,” head coach Luis Nicolao said after the game. “Any time you can go 3-0 in conference play, it makes for a good weekend. I thought our guys played well today, but there are still some areas of improvement. We got a couple of three and four goal leads, but allowed Bucknell to close the gap, which made it a tougher game. We don’t play again until we go up to Fordham on the 11th so we have some time to work on some things and continue to improve.”
Kiefer Black and Luka Sekulic led the team offensively. The duo finished with 11 combined goals for the second consecutive game with Black once again scoring six and Sekulic following with five. Maddox Garrahy added a pair of scores, while Quinn Bartlett, Aiden Day, Matt Mai-Prasarnsuk, James Mulvey and Billy Zech rounded out the scoring with one goal apiece.
In goal, Ryan Munch earned the win, working a complete game in the cage. The sophomore registered six saves in the winning effort.
The game was a back and forth to start. Bucknell scored to start the game, but Black countered with his first goal of the game. The Bison regained a lead, but Mulvey knotted the game at two. The visitors used a five-meter to retake the lead, but back-to-back scores by Black gave the Mids’ their first lead of the game, 4-3, through one quarter.
The Midshipmen looked to pull away early in the second quarter by starting off with goals by Black and Bartlett. The Bison responded with a 3-0 run to lock the game at 6-6. Black broke the tie with his fifth score of the morning, but Bucknell countered with a goal to knot the game at seven. Just before half, Mai-Prasarnsuk broke the tie with a goal to put Navy in front 8-7 at intermission.
The Bison once again tied the game, scoring early to start the third quarter. Garrahy scored back-to-back goals with Sekulic adding a score for a 3-0 Navy run to retake the advantage. Bucknell countered with two straight scores, but Sekulic (twice) and Day responded with a 3-0 run to give the Mids their biggest lead of the day, 14-10. Bucknell was able to sneak one by the Navy keeper just before the end of the quarter to go into the final eight minutes of regulation with the Midshipmen in front, 14-11.
In the fourth quarter, Bucknell opened the quarter with consecutive scores to trim the margin to on, but Sekulic started a 3-0 run take a four-goal lead, 17-13. Black followed with his sixth score of the day, while Zech completed the run with a strike from the center position. The Bison found the back of the net, but Sekulic put the game out of reach with his fifth goal of the game to provide the final margin, 18-14.
Release courtesy United States Naval Academy Athletics Communications
