No. 20 United States Naval Academy Goes the Distance to Top Mount St. Mary’s University, 15-12, in Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference Overtime Contest
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Playing at home for the first time since September 8, the No. 20-ranked United States Naval Academy water polo team posted a 15-12 overtime victory against Mount St. Mary’s University at Lejeune Hall. The Midshipmen led 11-9 heading into the fourth quarter but the Mount was able to send the game into overtime tied at 12-12. In the extra periods, the Mids shutout the Mountaineers, 3-0, to secure the win.
“Tonight was a good win for us,” said head coach Luis Nicolao. “Conference games are hard. Everyone in the league knows each other’s tendencies and what they want to do. We got out to a lead, but struggled to finish in the fourth quarter, a lot like last night against GW (George Washington University). Our guys continued to battle and fight hard. This time their efforts paid off and we were able to get the win. We have another home game tomorrow to close out the weekend and we are hoping to have another good crowd to cheer us on.”
Eight different Mids found the back of the net on the night, including three that finished with hat tricks. Kiefer Black led the team with a team-high four goals, while Luka Sekulic and Holden Seybold followed with three apiece, including one each in the overtime period. Rory Begin, Sam Collingwood, Maddox Garrahy, Michael Heller and Jackson Snapp rounded out the scoring with a goal apiece.
Freshman Ryan Munch worked a complete game at goal for the Midshipmen. The rookie finished the game with 14 saves in the win, holding the Mount scoreless in the overtime period.
Garrahy started things off for the Midshipmen with an early goal. The Mount knotted the score at one, but goals by Seybold, Heller, and Snapp gave Navy a 4-1 advantage. Mount St. Mary’s scored just before the quarter ended to cut the margin to 4-2 through one quarter.
In the second quarter, Navy used goals by Black and Collingwood to increase its advantage to 6-2, but a 3-0 run by Mount St. Mary’s cut the lead to 6-5. Begin and Sekulic closed out the half with goals to extend the Mids’ lead to 8-5 at intermission.
Sekulic and Black pushed the lead to five, 10-5, but back-to-back scores by the Mountaineers trimmed the margin to 10-7. Black found the back of the net once again, extending the advantage back to four goals, but consecutive scores by the Mount cut the deficit in half.
Mount St. Mary’s score a pair of goals in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 11-11. The Midshipmen regained a one-goal advantage thanks to a Seybold score, but the Mount tied the game at a dozen to force overtime.
In the extra periods, it was all Navy. The Midshipmen outscored the Mountaineers 3-0 thanks to goals by Seybold, Black, and Sekulic. Munch and the defense kept Mount St. Mary’s out of the goal in overtime to preserve the three-goal victory.
Release courtesy United States Naval Academy Athletics Communications
