WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College men's water polo team (0-3) fell in the closing two matches of the W&J Invitational. The Presidents fell in a highly contested 11-10 defeat to the Wheaton (Mass.) Lyons (1-3) and finished the day with a 15-8 loss to the Connecticut College Camels (2-4).
 
Wheaton (Mass.) 11, W&J 10
 
Senior Dillon Parker (Nipomo, Calif./Central Coast New Tech) led the President, scoring a hat trick in the first of two matches on the day. Sophomore Christopher Mitchell (Towson, Md./Loyola Blakefield) scored two as well.
 
W&J got out to a fast start in this contest, taking a 4-2 lead at the end of the opening period. Parker netted two in the opening eight minutes. Mitchell and junior Parker Elliott (Pennsburg, Pa./Upper Perkiomen) both had one goal each.
 
The Lyons closed the gap in the second period, outscoring W&J 3-1. Senior Timothy Deutsch (Hazleton, Pa./Hazleton) had the lone goal in the frame. The game went into the break deadlocked at five.
 
The two teams traded goals out of the break. Mitchell, Parker, and junior Brody Souder (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) all netted a goal in the third period to help keep the contest tied at eight going into the final frame.
 
The Red & Black got a goal late in the fourth to gain a 10-9 lead, but the Lyons found two goals in the closing stages from a shot off the post and a penalty conversion to take the overall win 11-10.
 
Connecticut College 15, W&J 8
 
Parker led the Presidents with a hat trick performance in the final game of the day. Junior Hector Santaella (Key Biscayne, Fla./Belen Jesuit Prep) netted two goals as well.
 
Connecticut College got off to an early two goal lead, taking a 3-1 advantage into the second period. Santaella scored the lone goal of the opening period for the Red & Black.
 
The two teams traded goals in the second period as the Camels took their two goal lead into the interval. Parker and sophomore Christopher Mitchell (Towson, Md./Loyola Blakefield) both scored in the second period.
 
The Presidents played a strong third period and went on a small 3-1 run to get the game tied at 6. Ultimately, the Camels found an extra gear of offense and broke the game open from the end of the third and throughout the fourth period to take the game 15-8. Parker had two goals in the third and junior Joseph Aranda (Albuquerque, N.M./Menaul School) scored one. Santaella and Souder both scored in the fourth period to round out the scoring for the Presidents.
 
Freshman Michael Stefanko (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) had six saves in the match. Sophomore Layne Evans (Houston, Texas/Cypress Ranch) also made an appearance in the contest.
 
The Presidents return to the poll next Saturday (Sept. 12) when they travel to the Salem Invitational. The Red & Black will take on the Gannon Golden Knights at 2:10 p.m. and the hosts Salem Tigers at 6:10 p.m.