CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The University of California, Merced men's water polo team fell 17-12 to Iona and 15-7 to George Washington on Sunday morning on the final day of the Harvard Invitational.
William Pezold led the Bobcats (12-15) offensively with six combined goals, while Killian Nguyen finished with five goals. Both players had multiple goals in each game and a hat trick.
Matthew Lloyd spent time in the cage in both games, stopping nine shots in 32 minutes against Iona and recording nine more saves in the first half vs. George Washington.
Game One | Iona 17, UC Merced 12
Pezold scored two first quarter goals at even strength and the Bobcats led 2-1 five minutes into the game. Iona responded with two goals of their own in the final few minutes of the first quarter and led 3-2 after one.
Andrew Jones, who would record a hat trick in the match, scored early in the second quarter and Pezold converted a penalty shot on the Bobcats next possession to put head coach Johnny Bega's team back in front. A fourth lead change occurred less than a minute later as Iona jumped back in front 5-4. An action-packed final five minutes leading up to halftime saw five more goals scored but it was Iona who led 8-6 at intermission. UC Merced and Iona were tied 6-6 before two Gael goals in the final 90 seconds.
The Bobcats regrouped for the third quarter as Nguyen and Jones scored back-to-back goals to tie the game at 8-8. After an Iona goal, Tommy Bauer and Pezold went back-to-back to give the Bobcats their first second half lead. However, the advantage lasted just one possession as Iona exploded for three quick goals and led 12-10 heading into the fourth period.
UC Merced pulled within one with a Camden Peterson goal, but that was as close as the Bobcats got the rest of the way. Iona scored five unanswered and held the Bobcats scoreless until the final 45 seconds when Jones completed his hat trick.
Game Two | George Washington 15, UC Merced 7
UC Merced got a first quarter goal from Nguyen and a second quarter goal from Pezold, but gave up nine first half goals and trailed 9-2 at halftime. Nguyen's goal cut a 2-0 deficit in half early before George Washington scored a game-best six unanswered goals to go up 8-1.
The Bobcats never let GW score more than three unanswered the rest of the way. Offensively, the Bobcats strung together three consecutive goals of their own to pull within five at 10-5 midway through the third quarter. Nguyen scored first followed by Howie Zeff and Pezold. The Bobcats trailed 13-5 at the end of three.
The two teams answered each other's goals in the fourth quarter resulting in the 15-7 final. Nguyen and Zeff both scored for the Bobcats. Nguyen's goal came on a penalty. Sebastian Palomera played the second half in the cage for the Bobcats and made five saves.
Up next, UC Merced will played 2nd-ranked Cal on Saturday, October 21 at 2:30pm in Berkeley, Calif. Cal is also the two-time defending national champion.
