BRONX, N.Y. – The #20 Navy water polo team (21-8) scored early and often to build a 12-0 lead on seventh-seeded Mercyhurst (2-21) en route to a 20-6 victory in the first round of the Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference Tournament at the Col. Francis B. Messmore Aquatic Center in the Bronx, N.Y. The Mids will now play (3) George Washington (15-15) at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.
Eleven (11) different Midshipmen found the back of the net in the opening round with six notching multiple scores.
Matt Mai-Prasarnsuk led the team with a career-high four goals for his second hat trick of the season.
Connor Cashman also notched a hat trick, finishing with three goals for his sixth hat trick of the year.
Aiden Berry,
Luke Kirincich,
Jack Mason, and
Ryan Mondzelewski added two goals apiece, while
Quinn Bartlett,
Rory Begin,
Kiefer Black,
Aiden Day, and
Austin Kahn each scored once.
At goal, Ryan Much earned the start, registering six saves in one quarter of play without allowing a goal. He gave way to
Jack Hightower who notched a pair of stops, holding Mercyhurst to single-digit goals.
Navy started off strong, taking a 7-0 lead through the first quarter of play. Day and Black opened up the scoring with Bartlett and Berry following with goals. Mai-Prasarnsuk scored three straight goals to give himself a first-quarter hat trick and tying a career-high in goals.
The Midshipmen continued its offensive assault with a 5-0 second-quarter run to extend the opening streak to 12 straight goals. Kirincich extended the advantage to 8-0, while Mason scored his first of two second-quarter goals to push the advantage to nine. Cashman put the Midshipmen in front by double digits with Mondzelewski and Mason put Navy in front by a dozen. The Lakers scored their first goal of the afternoon to send the game into halftime with the Mids in ahead, 12-1.
Navy increased its lead back to a dozen as Begin scored on the first possession of the second half. The Lakers chipped into the lead, but the Mids countered with a 4-0 run thanks to goals by Kahn, Cashman, Kirincich, and Berry to push the advantage to 17-2. Mercyhurst scored before the quarter ended to send the game into the final quarter with Navy in front, 17-3.
The two teams matched one another in the final period. Mai-Prasarnsuk scored his fourth goal in the quarter to give the sophomore a new career-high in goals scored. Mondzelewski and Cashman also found the back of the net in the quarter, while Mercyhurst netted three goals to provide the final margin of 20-6.
