Sports in Brief: Men’s water polo posts 3-1 record in tournament

September 6, 2011

The Colonials posted their best start in five seasons this weekend, earning three straight victories after dropping their first match of the Navy Labor Day Open.

GW opened play Saturday, falling 16-7 in their first match against Concordia, but later earning its first victory of the 2011 season in an 18-1 rout of Penn State Behrend. Concordia dominated offensively against the Colonials, outscoring GW 4-0 over the opening eight minutes and 4-1 in the third. Junior goalkeeper Cameron Illes made right saves and sophomore Daniel Tyner posted a hat trick, but their efforts weren’t enough for GW to keep pace with the Eagles.

The Colonials returned to the pool to face Penn State Behrend later that day, where Tyner again posted a hat trick. Fellow sophomore Nick Little earned a hat trick of his own, while freshman Brian Mojica helped to set GW’s offensively dominant tone with a goal and a game-high four assists. The Colonials scored five straight goals in the second quarter on their way to the 18-1 victory, matched by an equally strong defense that posted 18 steals.

GW completed its 3-1 weekend record Sunday, first earning an 18-7 victory over Notre Dame College and then posting an 11-10 overtime win against Fordham. Tyner and Little again continued their dominant record of play, with Tyner earning eight goals over Sunday’s two games and Little posting a hat trick in both games, including the deciding overtime goal against Fordham.

Against Notre Dame, in its first year as a varsity program, the Colonials jumped ahead 9-4 at the half, scoring six unanswered goals in the third period. Mojica, too, continued his impressive record of play, adding four goals and two assists against the Falcons, capping his collegiate debut weekend. Illes supported his offense by stopping nine shots, ensuring GW’s victory.

The Colonials entered overtime against Fordham after the Rams closed the game with a six-goal run that ended regulation in an 8-8 tie. The squads traded goals in the first two overtime periods, entering sudden death when Tyner tied the score at 10 with just 64 seconds left in the second overtime. Fordham won the sprint in sudden death, but Little’s game-winner came with 84 seconds left in the sudden death session, rewarding Illes’ 13 save effort.

GW’s 3-1 finish at the open is their best finish at the tournament since 2006, when they were undefeated throughout four matches.

GW next heads to Princeton, N.J. for the Princeton Invitational next weekend. The Colonials will face four Collegiate Water Polo Association rivals, squaring off against Harvard and M.I.T. Sept. 10 and St. Francis and Brown Sept. 11.