LEWISBURG, Pa. – Trailing 5-1 at halftime, the Navy water polo team (12-11, 7-2 MAWPC East) staged an epic comeback to defeat Bucknell (9-11, 4-6) by one, 8-7, on Sunday morning at Kinney Natatorium in Lewisburg, Pa. The Mids scored seven of the final nine goals of the game to earn the win.
 
"I could not be any prouder of this team," head coach Luis Nicolao said after the game. "They battled like crazy the entire game. They did not give up. We struggled to score in the first half and fell behind to a good Bucknell team. I told the guys that we were still in the game and we need to continue fighting and they did. I am one proud coach."
 
"We finished a tough week 3-1 and the one loss was a one-point game. We have tomorrow off, but we will be back in the pool on Tuesday preparing for the final weekend of the regular season before we host the conference tournament. It is a great time of year."
 
Offensively, the Midshipmen scored eight goals in the win, including seven goals in the second half. Hayden Kahn (San Clemente, Calif.) and Isaac Salinas (Spring City, Pa.) led the way with two goals apiece, while Payton Comstock (Clarendon Hills, Ill.), Tommy McKnew (Tiburon, Calif.), Merle Richman (La Jolla, Calif.), and Jack Weggeland (Riverside, Calif.) each added scores. Salinas led the team with two assists.
 
Defensively, Caden Capobianco (Laguna Beach, Calif.) picked up the win at goal for the Midshipmen. The sophomore turned away seven shots, while notching four steals in the win.
 
In the first quarter, Bucknell was the first team to score, finding the back of the net a minute and a half into play. Weggeland answered with a goal to close the first at 1-1. The second quarter saw the home team push the lead to 5-1, outscoring the Midshipmen 4-0 in the period.
 
Navy erupted in the third quarter, outscoring Bucknell, 5-2. Kahn started the scoring, netting his first goal of the game, but the Bison answered to increase the advantage to 6-2. The Mids responded with four straight goals to tie the game at 6-6. Salinas and Richman scored on back-to-back possessions and Comstock followed to pull Navy to within one. Kahn's second goal of the game knotted the score at six, but a Bucknell score with 40 seconds remaining the quarter sent the game into the final stanza with Navy trailing, 7-6.
 
In the fourth quarter, Salinas converted a five-meter opportunity to lock the game at 7-7. The game remained tied until 72 seconds remaining when McKnew was able to slip one by the keeper to give the Midshipmen their first lead of the game. The Navy defense was able to stand tall, giving the Mids a one-goal victory.
 
Navy will play three games next weekend to close out the regular season. The Midshipmen host two conference foes – Johns Hopkins (3:00 p.m.) and George Washington (8:00 p.m.) – on Saturday, Nov. 13 before traveling to Emmitsburg, Md. for a Sunday tilt with Mount St. Mary's (12:00 p.m.) on Nov. 14. Each home game will be live streamed through CWPATV.