CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – No. 16/18 Harvard University men's water polo beat Bucknell University, 14-7, and Wagner College, 13-3, at the Bruno Classic on Saturday to start its season and home-opening weekend at Blodgett Pool.
The Crimson (2-0) expanded a 4-2 halftime lead into a 10-5 edge through three quarters on its way to the win over the Bison (1-1) in its morning contest before limiting the Seahawks (1-1) to just three goals on its way to the victory in the nightcap.
Sophomore
James Rozolis-Hill led the Crimson with seven goals and three assists between the two games, including three goals and four assists against Bucknell and four goals against Wagner. Senior
Kaleb Archer netted five goals on the day, including four against the Bison. First-year goalie
Oliver Price finished with 17 saves on the day, including 13 saves against the Seahawks with two 5-meter penalty stops as a part of that total.
GAME 1: No. 16/18 Harvard 14, Bucknell 7
Senior
Kaleb Archer scored four goals, and sophomore
James Rozolis-Hill posted three goals and four assists as No. 16/18 Harvard beat Bucknell, 14-7, in its season and home opener on Saturday morning.
The Crimson used a six-goal third quarter to extend a 4-2 halftime lead over the Bison into a 10-5 edge heading to the fourth quarter.
Harvard Highlights
- Sophomore James Rozolis-Hill totaled seven points in the game behind three goals and a team-high four assists.
- Senior Kaleb Archer paced the Crimson with four goals while making two steals. He scored a highlight-reel goal to open the fourth quarter.
- Senior Gabe Putnam tallied two goals, an assist, a block, and two steals.
- In his collegiate debut, first-year Jack Burghardt notched two goals, an assist, and three steals.
- Junior Alex James contributed a goal, three assists, and a block.
- Junior Mot Stothart scored a goal, first-year Jacob Tsotadze added a goal and two steals, and senior Colin Le tacked on assist and two steals.
- In goal, sophomore goalie Tanner Furtak made eight saves in the first half while first-year net-minder Oliver Price stopped four shots in the second half.
Gallery: (9-2-2023) Men's Water Polo vs. Bucknell
How It Happened
- Harvard took a 2-1 lead at the end of the first quarter behind goals from Archer and Stothart.
- Archer provided both of the Crimson's goals in the second quarter, including one with 30 seconds left in the half, to put Harvard up 4-2 at the break.
- The Crimson netted six goals in the third quarter to pull ahead 10-5 at the end of three frames. Harvard opened the period on a 3-1 run to take a 7-3 edge and netted the last three goals of the stanza to push a 7-5 lead into a 10-5 advantage.
- In the third quarter, Rozolis-Hill and Putnam each scored twice while Burghardt and James added single tallies.
- Harvard took the fourth quarter 4-2 to close out the 14-7 win. Archer, Burghardt, Rozolis-Hill and Tsotadze netted goals for the Crimson in the fourth.
GAME 2: No. 16/18 Harvard 13, Wagner 3
Sophomore
James Rozolis-Hill netted a team-high four goals, and the Crimson defense allowed just three goals as No. 16/18 Harvard topped Wagner, 13-3, for its second win of the day.
The Crimson led 3-1 after one quarter, 6-1 at halftime, and 11-2 through three quarters on its way to the victory over the Seahawks.
Harvard Highlights
- Sophomore James Rozolis-Hill totaled team highs in goals (four), steals (three), and ejections drawn (three).
- In goal, first-year goalkeeper Oliver Price made 13 saves, including two stops on 5-meter penalty shots.
- Junior Mot Stothart posted two goals.
- First-year Jacob Tsostadze tallied a goal alongside a team-best three assists.
- Senior Alexandru Bucur registered a goal, two assists, and a steal.
- Junior Tyler Zarcu notched a goal, an assist, and a steal.
- Seniors Colin Le and Kaleb Archer, sophomore Mason Hunt, and first-year Jack Burghardt each scored one goal. Burghardt also came up with two steals, and Archer drew two ejections.
- Senior Owen Hale contributed two assists and two steals.
How It Happened
- The Crimson opened the contest with a 3-1 lead after one period behind goals from Stothart, Rozolis-Hill, and Zarcu.
- Harvard extended its advantage to 6-1 at halftime behind a 3-0 second quarter. In the second stanza, Rozolis-Hill scored a pair of goals for the first-half hat trick, and Tsotadze added a tally.
- The hosts outscored the visitors, 5-1, in the third quarter, pushing their margin to 11-2 heading to the fourth frame. Five different Crimson – Bucur, Rozolis-Hill, Hunt, Le, and Stothart – scored in the period.
- Harvard closed out the game with a 2-1 fourth quarter behind goals from Archer and Burghardt.
- Price made his second 5-meter penalty save of the day with no time left on the clock.
NEXT UP
Harvard closes out the Bruno Classic tomorrow – Sunday, Sept. 3 – with matchups against No. 10/11 Pepperdine at 10:30 a.m. (ESPN+) and McKendree at 1:30 p.m. (ESPN+).
