CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The MIT water polo team opened the 2026 season at the Bruno Classic at Harvard University on Saturday. In the opening match, the Engineers had a late fourth-quarter surge but fell just short against Air Force. In the second game MIT fell to No. 13 Cal Baptist. 21-7.
THE BASICS:
- Scores:
- Air Force 17, MIT 14
- No. 13 Cal Baptist 21, MIT 7
- Records: MIT (0-2 Overall), Air Force (1-0 Overall), No. 13 Cal Baptist (3-1 Overall)
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. AIR FORCE:
- Air Force jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead, but Jake Schweizer netted his first collegiate goal at 5:49 to tie the match. Derek Schaffer tied the match at two and a score from Jackson Kay put MIT up 3-2 with 2:17 left in the first. The Falcons tied the match yet again but a score from Andras Beleznay put MIT up 4-3 after one.
- Schweizer and Caspar Lightner scored in the second to help MIT build a 6-4 lead, but Air Force quickly tied the match with goals from Tom Leggett and Tobin Hunt. Ligthner converted on the 6 on 5 with his second score of the match with 1:23 left to send MIT into the break with a 7-6 advantage.
- The Falcons tied it up just 20 seconds into the third, but Beleznay notched his second score of the day to bring the Engineers even. Air Force then scored four of the next five goals to build a 12-9 lead. Lightner converted on a penalty shot with 21 seconds left to send MIT into the final quarter trailing by two.
- Air Force got two quick goals to pull ahead 14-10, but a goal from William Ewald got the Engineers back within three. Leggett scored to make it a 15-11 match but back-to-back goals from Rick Lundh made it a two-score game and Ewald's second goal of the quarter got MIT to within one with 4:39 left. The Falcons scored two more to take the 17-14 win.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Schweizer led MIT with three goals while Belezany, Lundh and Ewald all had two.
- Kieran Kearns and Luca Morocco each had two assists.
- Derek Schaffer, Schweizer and Lundh each had two steals.
- Armaan Gill made eight saves.
- Leggett led all scorers with eight goals.
HOW IT HAPPENED vs. No. 13 Cal Baptist:
- It was a high-scoring first eight minutes of play with the teams combining to score 13 goals in the matches' first eight minutes. CBU held a 7-5 lead after one. Lundh led MIT with two goals in the quarter while Beleznay, Lightner, and Schaffer had the other goals for the Engineers.
- The second quarter saw just four goals, with Cal Baptist outscoring MIT 3-1 to take a 10-6 lead into the break. Beleznay had the lone MIT goal.
- The Lancers controlled the second half and pulled away for the 21-7 win.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Beleznay, Lightner, and Lundh all had two goals for MIT.
- Schweizer had a team-high three assists. He also grabbed two steals along with Morocco.
- CBU saw 15 different goal scorers with Wyatt Bugbee leading the way with a hat trick.
UP NEXT:
- The Engineers continue with the Bruno Classic, tomorrow, Sunday, August 30 as they will play Wagner at 10:30 AM followed by a 1:00 PM match against No. 11 Pacific.
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