LEWISBURG, Pa. — The Wagner College men’s water polo team picked up one victory at the Bucknell Invitational hosted by Bucknell University this weekend as the Seahawks managed Division III No. 8 Johns Hopkins University, 15-13, but suffered setbacks versus No. 20 the United States Air Force Academy, 16-8, Salem University, 14-10, and No. 17 Fordham University, 14-5.
On Saturday, September 16, Wagner held a narrow lead after the first frame of play against Hopkins as the Seahawks ended the first frame with a 6-5 advantage. Sophomore Laszlo Strasser and senior Zsombor Gyemant each added two goals during the opening quarter. Junior Kyle Chambers and graduate student captain Ben Zovickian also found the back for the Green & White in the opening eight minutes. Wagner extended its lead 10-7 going into halftime, with goals from senior Barnabas Vidovics, senior Ryan Lanier, sophomore Eliot Alvarez and Chambers.
Lanier and Alvarez both scored their second goals of the contest during the third quarter. Going into the final frame, Wagner held a 12-10 lead. Lanier netted his third of the game, giving himself his second hat-trick of the season. Chambers also scored his third of the game in the fourth, along with junior Mattia Bognolo added his first tally to the Seahawks’ score on the way to a 15-13 win in Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) competition.
Facing Air Force, the Seahawks trailed by three after the opening quarter. Strasser and Gyemant tallied goals in the first frame of play, while Vidovics netted his team’s lone goal in the second quarter as Wagner trailed 10-3 heading into halftime.
Lanier added a goal in the third quarter prior to freshman Gabe Johnson, freshman Patrick Ray, junior Kristian Stanczewski and Chambers all contributing to Wagner’s scoring column in the final eight minutes of regulation in a 16-8 loss to the Falcons.
On Sunday, September 17, Wagner clashed with fellow New York institution/defending MAWPC Champion Fordham in league action.
The Seahawks held a 2-1 goal advantage after one quarter of play as Chambers got the scoring started just seventy-seven seconds into the match. Bognolo shattered a one-all tie with 2:30 left in the frame, but the Green & White entered the second half trailing 8-3. The Seahawks outscored the Rams 3-1 in the fourth quarter but suffered a nine-goal loss.
Freshman Vince Varga, junior/captain Andrew Cowie and Lanier accounted for Wagner’s scoring in the fourth quarter as the Seahawks chipped away at the Rams’ lead.
In the weekend finale versus Salem, the Wagner jumped out to a 4-1 lead after the first quarter. Junior Luis Camino Sosa scored his first goal of the tournament towards the end of the initial frame, Bognolo found the back of the net twice and Chambers buried a chance for the Green & White as the teams were deadlocked at seven-all entering halftime. Camino Sosa found the back of the net for the second time, as well as Cowie and Vidovics finding their way into the scoring column before halftime.
Chambers punched in a pair of tallies in the fourth quarter and Cowie contributed his second strike of the contest, but Salem outscored the Seahawks 7-3 over the final 16 minutes to escape with a 14-10 victory.
Information courtesy Wagner College Athletics Communications
