CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The MIT water polo team dropped two NWPC matches to ranked opponents on Saturday at the Zesiger Center Pool. The Engineers fell to No. 18 Harvard in the morning match and dropped a close 14-10 decision to No. 20 Brown in the afternoon.
THE BASICS:
- Scores:
- No. 18 Harvard 14, MIT 7
- No. 20 Brown 14, MIT 10
- Records: MIT (5-17 Overall, 1-6 NWPC), Harvard (16-8 Overall, 6-0 NWPC); Brown (16-6 Overall, 3-3 NWPC)
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. HARVARD:
- Caspar Lightner scored off the counter to give MIT an early 1-0 lead. The Crimson used a 3-0 run to take the lead, but Lightner scored his second of the quarter to make it a one-goal game.
- Harvard scored four unanswered to start the second before Andras Beleznay scored to make it 7-3 heading into the break.
- The Crimson scored all five goals in the third to build up a 12-3 advantage.
- Kunal Rajadhyax broke the Harvard run with a goal at 5:59, but Harvard scored at the five minute mark to bring the score to 13-4. Rick Lundh scored back-to-back penalty goals to cut the Crimson to 13-6 and Rajadhyax tallied his second of the match to cut the Harvard advantage to 13-7.
- Harvard tacked on one more goal to account for the 14-7 final.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Lightner and Rajadhyax led MIT with two goals each.
- Joshua Woren finished with two steals and six saves.
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. BROWN:
- The two teams played a close first quarter of action. Lightner tied the match at two but the Bears scored back-to-back goals to regain the lead. Lightner tallied a first quarter hat trick to bring the Engineers to within one at the end of the first quarter.
- The Bears outscored MIT 3-1 in the second quarter to take a 7-4 lead into the break.
- MIT began the comeback attempt in the third quarter. Adam Ivatorov scored on a six on five to make it a two-goal game. After a Brown goal, Lundh found the back of the net at 6:14 to once again get the Engineers within two. Lightner then scored at 4:52 to make it a one goal game. The Bears scored with 31 seconds remaining in the quarter to take a 9-7 lead into the final eight minutes of play.
- A Brown goal made it 10-7, but Ivatorov and Lightner scored to yet again make it a one-goal contest. The Bears got a goal back at 4:26, but Lightner deposited another goal to bring MIT to within one with 3:56 remaining. Brown then went on a 3-0 run to secure the 14-10 win.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Lightner recorded his third six-goal game of the season and now leads the team with 51 goals.
- Ivatorov added two goals to bring his season total to 50.
- Derek Schaffer led the team with four assists and two steals.
- Woren made eight stops in goal.
UP NEXT:
- MIT will host Iona and LIU on Saturday, November 8. The Engineers will host the Gaels at 12:00 PM followed by the Sharks at 5:00 PM. Prior to the LIU match, MIT will recognize its three seniors.
STAY CONNECTED:
