Nov. 21, 2010
Lewisburg, Pa. -
Playing without the services of three starters, the Fordham water polo team put up a valiant effort, leading 6-4 in the seventh place match against MIT at the Eastern Championship on Sunday. However, MIT's John Preis scored the game-winner with 1:34 on the clock in the fourth period on a man-up chance to complete a hat-trick and cap a 7-6 comeback victory for the Engineers over the Rams at Bucknell's Kinney Natatorium.
With Fordham ahead bu two, 6-4, entering the fourth period, the Engineers took command of the contest over the final eight minutes outscoring the Rams to rally back and take the victory.
Brian Gardiner opened MIT's sprint to the finish by nailing a shot at 5:01 before Matt Chapa knotted the game at six all wtih a blast from the wing at 3:22. Preis finished out the scoring with his decider at 1:34 following an ejection at 1:51 to put MIT in front for the first time since a 2-1 lead with 1:34 left in the first period.
In the cage, Columbus Leonard recorded 11 saves to earn the victory, while Christian Flessner was the hard-luck loser with eight stops.
Playing without Andrew McKernin, due to injury, and Ali Arat and Victor Batista-Medina, who were sitting out the contest following a red card and flagrant foul, respectively, in the Rams' previous game, Fordham was already at a disadvantage agisnst the Engineers.
MIT opened the game the way the squad ended it by dominating the offensive end of the tank as Preis connected on a marker at 5:28 and buried a 6-on-5 chance at 4:21 to stake the Engineers to a 2-0 lead less than four minutes into regulation.
Fordham clawed its way back into the game before the end of the period as Ryan Hultman dented the iron with a man-up shot at 1:34. Daniel Munoz netted the equalizer with 42 seconds on the clock to make it 2-2 through eight minutes of action.
The teams exchanged tallies to open the second period with Robert Fleming finding the net at 7:33 before Gardiner responded for the Engineers at 6:52 to keep the game tied at 3-3.
However, Fordham controlled the pace and style of the game for the remainder of the half as Ricky Dilday and Alex Powell connected on natural markers at 1:50 and 47 seconds, respectively, to give the Rams a 5-3 lead at the break.
Needing a run to put the Engineers away for good, Fordham managed a goal from Hultman at 4:38. However, Gardiner answered for MIT wtih a scoring shot of his own with 53 seconds remaining in the third period to ignite a 4-0 advantage in goals over the final 8:53 of competition.
MIT closed the year at 13-12, while the Rams wrap-up the season at 16-17.
Summary
Fordham Goals: Ryan Hultman (2), Daniel Munoz, Alex Powell, Ricky Dilday, Robert Fleming
MIT Goals: John Preis (3), Brian Gardiner (3), Matt Chapa
Saves: Fordham - Christian Flessner (8) ; MIT - Columbus Leonard (11)
