Water Polo Goes Undefeated at Bison Invitational

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Fordham Water Polo had another outstanding weekend at Bucknell. (Courtesy of Fordham Athletics)

It was a fantastic weekend for Fordham Water Polo as they emerged 4–0 from the Bison Invitational in Lewisburg, Pa. On Saturday, the Rams defeated Bucknell University 17–15 and clinched an 11–8 victory against Salem International. They were just as successful on Sunday, winning 13–9 against Wagner College and 15–9 against La Salle University. The Rams have increased their overall season record to 9–2.

The Rams opened up the Bison Invitational with a thrilling victory over No. 13 ranked Bucknell, snapping the Bison’s 24-game home winning streak. Fordham got off to a rocky start, trailing 3–1 in the first. They quickly turned things around in the 2nd with seven goals, staying in the lead through the remaining two quarters.

Sophomore Dimitris Koukias had five goals to lead the team, and senior Jake Miller-Tolt had three goals and one assist. Junior Phillip Wang and seniors Joseph Agabs, Tristen Knoflick and George Maltby all scored twice. Sophomore goalkeeper Bailey O’Mara had a stellar appearance, racking up ten saves, three steals and two penalty blocks. The final score was a 17–15 victory for the Rams.

The Rams kept up their winning momentum against Salem International, leading 4–2 within the first eight minutes of the game. They maintained their lead 7–3 by the half, and increased it to 11–5 by the third. Dimitris Koukias and Jake Miller-Tolt both scored 3 goals apiece, while Phillip Wang added two more for the Rams. Bailey O’Mara tallied eleven saves and two steals during the first three quarters. The end result was an 11-8 win for Fordham.

The Rams continued to show their dominance on Sunday, starting off with a conference win against Wagner. It was a tight game through the half, with the score tied up at 6–6. The Rams pulled ahead to a 10–7 lead in the third before netting three more goals in the fourth. The usual suspects showed off their offensive prowess, with Dimitris Koukias scoring four goals and drawing four ejections. Jake Miller-Tolt had three goals and four assists. George Maltby, Joseph Agabs, and junior Sam Wheeler also put points up on the board. Bailey O’Mara finished with 13 saves, two assists and one steal. The Rams triumphed with a 13–9 win.

The Rams secured their 4–0 showing with a dominant victory against La Salle. Fordham exploded with an eight-goal second quarter, resulting in a 12–2 lead at the half. The Explorers cut the lead down to 12–6 by the end of the third, but the Rams answered with three more goals in the fourth. Jake Miller-Tolt had seven goals in the game, and Dimitris Koukias and Tristen Knoflick each added two. The final score was 15–9 in favor of the Rams.

Fordham is now 3–0 in the MAWPC, and proved it is a force to contend with coming out of the Bison Invitational. The Rams are back in the pool on September 28th, playing their first home games of the season in a double header against George Washington University and Johns Hopkins University. The George Washington game begins at 10 a.m.