PRINCETON, N.J. — The Wagner College men's water polo team faced elite national competition this weekend, taking on three top-20 ranked opponents at the Princeton Invite. Squaring off against No. 10 San Jose State, No. 19 Santa Clara, and No. 20 Saint Mary's at DeNunzio Pool, the Seahawks showcased their offensive depth against some of the best programs in the country.
Game 1 Results: Wagner 6 – T- #10 San Jose 18
The Spartans came out strong from the opening sprint, taking advantage of early opportunities to build a 3-0 lead after the first quarter while keeping the Seahawks off the board.
In the second quarter, junior captain
Smith Connors got Wagner on the board early at the 7:33 mark to make it a 3-1 game. However, San Jose State responded with 5 goals to close the frame and enter halftime with an 8-1 advantage.
During the third quarter the Spartans continued to create separation with transition scores. Freshman
Noah Garrison broke through late in the period with a goal at the last 11 seconds, but San Jose State carried a 13-2 lead into the final frame.
Wagner had the best offensive performance in the fourth quarter, netting four goals. Sophomore
Kelly Murphy opened the frame with a strike at 6:54. Junior
Matan Friedenberg scored three goals in the final three minutes, including a strike with just 23 seconds left on the clock to complete a team-high four-goal performance.
Goals: Friedenberg (3), Connors, Garrison, Murphy
Game 2 Results: Wagner 9 – #19 Santa Clara 17
Senior captain
Patrick Ray provided a late goal for the Seahawks, finding the back of the net at the 1:35 mark to close out the first quarter. Santa Clara responded with a total of 6 goals throughout the period to hold a 6-1 edge after the first frame.
The Broncos expanded their advantage in the second quarter with a five-goal surge. Wagner kept pace offensively with three goals of its own, highlighted by strikes from sophomore
Kelly Murphy, senior
Vince Varga, and junior
Matan Friedenberg, to go into halftime trailing 11-4.
Santa Clara maintained its momentum coming out of the break, putting together a two-goal third quarter. Friedenberg added one more goal alongside a strikes from freshman
Harry Colley and Ray, but the Broncos scored two goals, carrying a 13-7 lead into the final eight minutes.
The Green & White continued to battle in the fourth quarter, getting additional goals from junior
Matt Wedlock and Friedenberg, completing his hat trick for the game, before Santa Clara closed out the 17-9 victory.
Goals: Friedenberg (3), Ray (2), Murphy, Colley, Varga, Wedlock
Game 3 Results: Wagner 11 – T- #20 Saint Mary's 19
The 20
th ranked Gaels jumped out to a fast start, building a 6-2 advantage in the opening frame, despite breakthrough goals from junior
Matan Friedenberg and senior
Gabe Johnson.
During the second quarter, junior
Kelly Murphy netted the Seahawks' lone goal, proving a brief spark, but Saint Mary's managed to close the half on a 3-0 run to carry a 9-3 lead into the break.
The Green & White came out of halftime strong. The third quarter proved to be Wagner's most offensive period of the morning. In a fast-paced eight minutes, the Seahawks erupted for four goals. Friedenberg secured his second goal of the match, while sophomore
Jonah Aguilera and freshman
James Davis all found the back of the net. Even as the Gaels countered with six goals of their own to extend their lead to 15-7, Wagner kept the offensive momentum.
That momentum carried right into the final frame. Refusing to back down, the Seahawks traded goals with Saint Mary's in the fourth quarter, matching them goal-for-goal in a 4-4 stretch. Friedenberg with a hat trick of the game, alongside sophomore Jacob Troy, sophomore Weston Swank and Davis, all recorded strikes.
Goals: Friedenberg (3), Aguilera (2), Davis (2), Murphy, Troy, Swank, Johnson
Next Up:
Following the conclusion of the Princeton Invite, the Seahawks will hit the road again next weekend to compete at the Bucknell Invite in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
. The two-day tournament, running from Saturday, September 19 to Sunday, September 20, will feature another challenging slate of non-conference matchups for the Green & White. Wagner is scheduled to take on Salem, Mercyhurst, and tournament host Bucknell.
