MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Wagner College men’s water polo team earned victories over Mercyhurst University, 19-6, and McKendree University, 16-9, at the Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) Crossover hosted by Salem University at the Aquatic Center at Mylan Park.
In the Seahawks’ opening game versus Mercyhurst, Wagner put a stamp on the contest by outscoring the Lakers 7-2 in the opening frame. Wagner was able to jump out to a 4-0 lead within the first 2:36 of the contest. Senior Olivér Fodor opened the scoring with two quick goals before junior Zsombor Gyémánt and freshman Laszlo Strasser scored to catapult the 4-0 run.
Wagner continued applying the pressure in the second quarter as they outscored Mercyhurst 7-0 behind six different goal scorers. The Seahawks took a 14-2 lead into halftime.
With a insurmountable lead heading into the second half, Wagner outscored Mercyhurst 5-4 in the final 16 minutes to preserve the victory in the opening game of the weekend.
Fodor led the attack for Wagner with four goals, while Strasser chipped in a hat trick to go along with three assists.
Sophomore goalkeepers Adam Wuthrich and Vaughn Bui combined to make five saves in one half each in goal.
Facing McKendree for the second time in 2022 after earning a 14-9 victory on September 17 at the Bucknell University Invitational, Wagner again outlasted the Bearcats.
The second game of the day began the same way as the first as Wagner jumped out to a big lead early in the contest. With the game tied at one-all, the Seahawks rattled off four straight goals to take a 5-1 lead. Wagner added two more in the frame to take a 7-2 lead heading to the second quarter.
Wagner carried its momentum into the second quarter by outscoring McKendree 6-1 to take a 13-3 lead into halftime.
In the second half, McKendree outscored Wagner 6-3, but the lead Wagner built in the first half was too much for McKendree to overcome in coasting to victory.
Fodor picked up where he left off in the first game of the day with four goals, while Strasser picked up his second hat trick of the day. Sophomore Mattia Bognolo also tallied a hat trick in the victory for Wagner.
Adam Wuthrich stopped six shots in the first half for Wagner. Freshman Matthew Sherry made five saves in the second half.
The two victories give Wagner its first three-game winning streak of season and the first of the Josh Hower tenure at Wagner.
Release courtesy Wagner College Athletics Communications
