STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The Wagner men's water polo team had its first home game of the season at Spiro Sports Center on Saturday, finishing with a 16–12 win over George Washington.
The Seahawks' offense exploded in the first half and never looked back, securing their seventh win of the season behind balanced scoring and strong goalkeeping.
During the opening period, both sides traded goals in a tight start. Senior captain
Laszlo Strasser scored early, then, with a minute of separation, sophomore
Matan Friedenberg and freshman
Kelly Murphy helped the Seahawks even the score with back-to-back goals towards the end of the period. George Washington pushed ahead the last thirty seconds and the score was 4-3 after the opening period.
The Seahawks took full control in the second quarter, outscoring George Washington 5–2. Sophomore
Smith Connors sparked the run with two goals, while Strasser, junior
Patrick Ray and freshman
Nadav Carmon each added scores of their own. George Washington came out aggressive to open the third, but Wagner's attack continued to click. Carmon and freshman
Landon Castillo each found the back of the net halfway through the third quarter, and Murphy added another to maintain the Seahawks' advantage in the last minute. Wagner ended the quarter leading 11-9.
In the final frame, Wagner put the game away. Connors scored his third of the match, and Strasser and Friedenberg completed their strong performance with another two goals each to cap the win. Despite a late surge from the Colonials, Wagner's lead proved insurmountable and they cruised to a 16–12 victory in front of the home crowd.
Goals: Strasser (4), Friedenberg (3), Connors (3), Murphy (2), Carmon (2), Ray, Castillo
Up next, the Seahawks head to Cambridge, Massachusetts for the Harvard Invite, on October 18 and 19. Wagner will face Harvard and MIT the first day, then Brown and LIU the second.
