PRINCETON, NJ - The St. Francis Brooklyn men's water polo team took a split against teams just outside the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Top 25 at the second day of the Princeton Invitational on Saturday.
After dropping an overtime battle with George Washington, the Terriers closed out the day with a win in extras over Bucknell.
GAME ONE: SFBK 13 | George Washington 14 (OT)
The Colonials with a quick pair of goals in the opening minutes to a take an early 2-0 lead. Paolo Morliere's first goal of the match pulled the Terriers within one, 3-2, in the final minute of the first quarter. St. Francis continued to battle from behind in the second quarter as Ioannis Egnatiadis scored his first of the day to draw the match at 6-6 with 2:16 remaining.
Extending its run through halftime, GW scored three unanswered goals to a take a 9-6 lead in the opening minute of the third quarter. Aleksa Sisakovic was up to the task, scoring a pair of goals in the third to help tie the game at 10. Willam Simpson would send the game to the fourth quarter tied at 11 with his second of the third quarter.
Finally, with three minutes remaining in regulation, Baptiste Oliveri put St. Francis in front for the first time all game. The Terriers fought for the final three to keep George Washington off the board, but the Colonials tied the game with nine seconds remaining to force overtime.
The Colonials struck again in the opening minute of the first and second overtime periods to go up 14-12. Oliveri answered back with 31 seconds remaining but the Terriers could not come up with a second goal to force another overtime, falling 13-14.
GAME TWO: SFBK 12 | Bucknell 10 (OT)
William Simpson put the Terriers in front just over 90 seconds into their final match of the day and Terriers would not trail in the first 12 minutes. The Bison scored a trio of goals in the second quarter to take a 6-5 lead but Simpson and Matteo Nardelli answered back with two of their own to take a 7-6 advantage to halftime.
Bucknell came out swinging in the third quarter, scoring three straight to take a 9-7 lead in to the final quarter of regulation. St. Francis would not concede another goal in regulation as Adonis Vlassis willed the team to overtime with his fourth and fifth goals of the game. The scoreboard read 9-9 at the end of the fourth quarter.
In the first overtime period, Jovan Parojcic put the Terriers up 10-9 before Bucknell leveled the scoreline in the final minute. Sisakovic and Morliere clinched a pair of goals in the final three minutes to secure a 12-10 in overtime.
NEXT UP: The Terriers close out the final day of the Princeton Invitational with matches against No. 20 Navy (9:15 a.m.) and No. 17 Fordham (1:00 PM) on Sunday.
