CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – No. 16/18 Harvard University men's water polo defeated McKendree University, 23-7, to close out the Bruno Classic after falling to No. 10/11 Pepperdine University, 16-11, on Sunday at Blodgett Pool.
Completing its season-opening weekend, the Crimson (3-1) never trailed against the Bearcats (0-4) and remained within two goals of the nationally ranked Waves (3-0) before dropping the decision. The Crimson swept Bucknell (14-7) and Wagner (13-3) in Saturday's contests.
With the victory over McKendree,
Ted Minnis, The Friends of Water Polo Head Coach, recorded his 250
th career victory with the Crimson's men's team.
Sophomore
James Rozolis-Hill scored 10 goals on the day, closing the weekend with 17 total goals. First-year
Jack Burghardt netted six goals against McKendree to finish the weekend with 10 goals. Senior
Kaleb Archer added seven goals over the four games, and first-year goalkeeper
Oliver Price tallied 30 saves on the weekend.
Gallery: (9-3-2023) Men's Water Polo vs. Pepperdine
GAME 1: No. 10/11 Pepperdine 16, No. 16/18 Harvard 11
Sophomore
James Rozolis-Hill scored four goals, but No. 16/18 Harvard fell to No. 10/11 Pepperdine, 16-11, on Sunday morning in its first game of the day and third contest overall at the Bruno Classic.
The Crimson remained within 7-5 at halftime before the Waves scored all four goals in the third quarter and each side netted five goals in the fourth frame.
Rozolis-Hill netted his third hat trick of the weekend.
Harvard Highlights
- Sophomore James Rozolis-Hill scored four goals in the contest, registering a hat trick for the third time in as many games over the weekend.
- The Crimson totaled eight different goal scorers with seven student-athletes scoring one goal each, including senior Gabe Putnam, juniors Alex James, Tyler Zarcu, and Mot Stothart, sophomore Mason Hunt, and first-years Jack Burghardt and Vilas Sogaard-Srikrishnan.
- James paced the Crimson with three assists while Stothart and first-year Jacob Tsotadze each dished out two assists.
- First-year goalkeeper Oliver Price made 11 saves, including a stop on a 5-meter penalty shot. He also stopped a pair of 5-meter penalty shots on Saturday against Wagner.
How It Happened
- Harvard opened the game with a 2-1 lead behind goals from Putnam and Hunt before the Waves scored five of the frame's final six goals to take a 6-3 edge at the end of one. Rozolis-Hill netted the Crimson's other goal in the quarter.
- The Crimson outscored Pepperdine, 2-1, in the second quarter with goals from James and Sogaard-Srikrishnan to pull within 7-5 at the break.
- Pepperdine took the third quarter, 4-0, to move ahead 11-5 heading to the final frame.
- The two teams combined for 10 goals in the fourth quarter with each side scoring five times. Rozolis-Hill netted three goals in the quarter while Zarcu and Burghardt each scored once. Zarcu's tally came via a 5-meter penalty shot.
GAME 2: No. 16/18 Harvard 23, McKendree 7
Sophomore
James Rozolis-Hill and first-year
Jack Burghardt each scored six goals as No. 16/18 Harvard bested McKendree, 23-7, on Saturday afternoon in its second game of the day and fourth and final contest of the weekend.
The Crimson led 7-2 at the end of the first quarter, 13-4 at halftime, and 18-6 through three frames on its way to the victory over the Bearcats.
Harvard Highlights
How It Happened
- Harvard opened the game with a 7-2 lead at the end of the first quarter behind two goals from Rozolis-Hill and one each from Bucur, Stothart, Hale, Zarcu, and Archer.
- Harvard extended its lead to 13-4 at halftime, taking he second quarter, 6-2. Rozolis-Hill (three goals), Burghardt (two goals), and Archer (one goal) provided the offense in the frame.
- The hosts moved the advantage to 18-6 through three quarters, claiming the third stanza 5-2. Burghardt found the back of the cage twice in the frame while Zarcu, Rozolis-Hill, and Stothart each scored once.
- The Crimson closed out the contest with a 5-1 fourth quarter, including two goals apiece from Burghardt and Sogaard-Srikrishnan and a tally from Symington.
- Rozolis-Hill converted 5-meter penalty shots in both the first and second quarters.
NEXT UP
Harvard competes at the Princeton Invitational with matchups against George Washington (Sept. 9, 2:00 p.m.), Bucknell (Sept. 9, 6:30 p.m.), and No. 15/15 Fordham (Sept. 10, 11:00 a.m.).
