STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.
— The Wagner men's water polo team split Saturday games at home, earning a commanding 25-9 win over Mount St. Mary's then falling in a tight evening battle 15-16 to Bucknell at the Spiro Sports Center.
Game 1 Result: Wagner 25 - Mount St. Mary's 9
The Seahawks came out firing in the first quarter, with sophomore
Smith Connors opening the scoring early before freshman
Landon Castillo and senior captain
Laszlo Strasser added tallies to help Wagner jump to the lead. Sophomore
Matan Friedenberg and freshman
Nadav Carmon each connected on power plays late in the quarter, setting the tone for what would become a dominant offensive performance, with an 8-2 advantage.
In the second quarter, Wagner's relentless attack continued. Carmon and Strasser each found the back of the net twice, while Castillo, Carmon and Connors converted multiple opportunities to push the lead to 19-6 at halftime. Defensively, sophomore goalkeeper
Filip Petrovic stood tall, making several crucial saves to hold the Mount.
The Seahawks didn't let up in the second half. Castillo scored twice, while Carmon and Strasser added one each in the third quarter as Wagner outscored Mount St. Mary's 4-0 in the frame. The Green & White controlled possession, executed well in transition and capitalized on nearly every exclusion drawn.
Wagner closed the game with contributions from across the lineup, including goals from sophomore
Jacob Troy, freshman
Aksel Gerhardstein, freshman
Toby Zeeck, Castillo, Connors and Strasser. The team's defensive energy held strong through the final whistle, sealing one of the most dominant wins of the season.
Goals: Strasser (7), Castillo (6), Carmon (5), Connors (3), Troy, Gerhardstein, Zeeck, Friedenberg
Game 2 Result: Wagner 15 - Bucknell 16
The matchup was tight from start to finish, featuring multiple lead changes and standout offensive performances from both sides. The Seahawks started strong in the first quarter with a hat trick from Strasser and a goal from Carmon, heading into the second frame tied 4-4.
In the second quarter, Bucknell found their rhythm offensively, converting on multiple power plays to move ahead 9-7 at halftime. Wagner continued to match them nearly goal for goal, with Connors and Friedenberg each adding tallies to keep the game close.
The third quarter proved to be a defensive struggle, as both teams traded goals but neither could build a significant lead. Strasser continued to be Wagner's catalyst, completing another hat trick midway through the quarter, while Castillo, Ray and Connors chipped in key goals to tie the game 14-14 heading into the final period.
In the fourth, Wagner fought to the end behind goals from freshman
Kelly Murphy, Carmon, Friedenberg and Strasser, keeping pressure on the Bison until the final buzzer. Despite the late goals and a strong defensive stand, Bucknell held possession in the closing seconds to secure the 16-15 win.
Goals: Strasser (7), Ray (2), Carmon (2), Connors (2), Friedenberg,
Gabe Johnson, Castillo, Murphy
Up Next:
Wagner will have senor tomorrow, Sunday Nov. 9 prior to its game against Mercyhurst, which will be played at 10:30 a.m. in Spiro Sports Center. This will be the team's final game before the MAWPC Championship weekend begins Friday, Nov. 21 at Fordham.
