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Men's Water Polo

No. 12 Men's Water Polo Falls in Sudden-Death Overtime to Brown in CWPA Northern Division Championship

Blake Lee netted two last-second goals to extend the game twice (Gil Talbot).

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – No. 12 men's water polo made several furious comebacks in the Collegiate Water Polo Association Northern Division Championship game, pushing the game into sudden-death overtime before No. 12 Brown netted the golden-goal to claim the title with a 14-13 victory.

Brown, the two-time defending Northern Division champion, came out on fire, netting three-straight goals to grab an early 3-0 lead. Joey Colton and Noah Harrison each pushed goals past Brown's defense to cut the Bears lead to 3-2 after the end of the opening period. Ben Zepfel evened the game at 3-3, but Brown posted two man-up goals to take a 5-3 lead at the half.

Harvard and Brown exchanged goals to open the third period as Colin Chiapello found the back of the net, while Colton continued to have the hot hand, netting two-straight games to tie the game at six.  Both teams continued to battle back and fourth as Zepfel and Harrison netted equalizers, but Brown had the last say of the period and claimed a 9-8 lead.

Brown notched a goal with just over a minute remaining in regulation to hold a 10-8 lead, pushing Harvard's title hopes to the brink. However, Harvard stormed back with two goals in the final minute to send the game into overtime as Chiapello notched his second goal of the game and Blake Lee netted the game-tying goal with three seconds left, going underwater and tipping the ball past Brown's keeper to keep Harvard's championship hopes alive.

Colton scorched Harvard's lone goal of first overtime as Brown took a 12-11 lead. The Bears netted a quick goal to open the second overtime period, but Harvard made another two-goal comeback in the final minutes as Harrison put Harvard within one, but Lee was the hero once again, skipping a shot past the Brown keeper with one second remaining to send the game into sudden-death overtime.

However, Brown netted the golden-goal to defend its title with a 14-13 win, downing Harvard in the title game for the second-straight season.
Harvard fell to 19-9 on the season and saw its 10-game win streak snapped. With a second-place finish, Harvard qualified for the Collegiate Water Polo Championship Nov. 20-22.
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