WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson men's water polo team collected two more wins Sunday on the final day of the W&J College Invitational at Henry Memorial Natatorium.
W&J edged Mercyhurst by a narrow 15-13 margin in the opener Sunday, using a strong fourth quarter to secure the win. The Presidents beat Michigan State Club by a 13-8 margin to conclude the weekend.
W&J 15, Mercyhurst 13
Christopher Furlong (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) poured in six goals, which included three in the fourth quarter as W&J clipped Mercyhurst.
The match was back and forth throughout with each team trading scores. The match was tied 3-3 after the first quarter and was deadlocked at 6-6 at halftime. The visiting Lakers scored four of the first five goals in the third to build a 10-7 advantage. However, W&J rallied back to take a 12-11 edge on a score by Furlong. The Presidents used an insurance goal to put away the victory with its final score with 47 seconds left.
Senior
Ryan Bannon (Broomfield, Colo. / Broomfield) finished with a hat trick of his own to back Furlong's performance. Senior
Caine Dusza (Souderton, Pa. / Souderton) made 11 saves in goal to secure the win for W&J.
W&J 13, Michigan State Club 8 (Exhibition)
The Presidents led throughout against Michigan State Club in the finale. W&J scored the first three goals of the match to build a 4-3 lead after the first quarter. The Presidents stretched its lead to 8-5 just before halftime when Furlong scored.
W&J locked up defensively in the third quarter, as it scored all three goals in the frame to take a commanding 11-5 advantage into the fourth. Freshman
Kailer Spicer (East Lansing, Mich. / East Lansing) tallied the final goal of the third quarter. Spicer and classmate
Aidan Miller (Grove City, Ohio / St. Charles Prep) found the back of the net in the fourth as W&J finished off the victory.
Eight different Presidents scored in the finale. Furlong added four more goals in the game against Michigan State Club. Dusza made eight saves in the victory.
W&J hosts Penn State Behrend, Augustana, Johns Hopkins and the University of Toronto next weekend at W&J.
