The Fordham Water Polo team (10-8, 2-2 CWPA) returns home after a three-day, six-game stretch in California with a home CWPA conference contest against the Iona Gaels (2-8, 1-4 CWPA) on Thursday night, October 8, at 7:30 p.m. at the Col. Francis B. Messmore Aquatic Center inside the Lombardi Athletic Center.
Read all about the Rams' California stretch, in which they went 4-2,
here.
Fordham first took on La Verne and Mt. San Antonio on their respective campuses for two nonconference matches last Thursday and were victorious in both. All non-injured players made appearances. Junior standout
R.J. Simmons had a career day - with three goals and three assists to match a single-game career high of six points against La Verne, to go along with two steals and a career-high two blocks, plus a career-high four assists against Mt. San Antonio. In the second match of the day against the Mounties, senior
Patrick Lenihan netted four times, while
Patrick Reyes,
Ethan Vandeventer, and
Magnus Sims all scored twice.
To begin the Gary Troyer Memorial Tournament, held at Pomona-Pitzer Colleges, the Rams were leading #16 Whittier College, also ranked first in the latest CWPA Division III poll, after three periods, 9-7, but were outscored 4-0 in the final frame. Six players finished with at least two points led by senior co-captain
Bobby Wurtz's four (2 goals, 2 assists).
Fordham were stifled in the second Friday contest, against Redlands, a team that had been receiving votes in the national Top 20 poll up until last week, 8-7, with the game coming down to a 2-1 advantage in the second period by Redlands. Wurtz again paced the squad by matching a career-high of three goals. Freshman
Cole Donnelly continued his solid stretch off the bench with (at the time a career-high) two assists and three steals in limited minutes.
The Rams found success on Saturday to close out the tournament and road swing with a 7-6 victory over Occidental College and an 8-7 win over Cal-Lutheran. Linehan was the star of the former when he matched his career-high of five goals, to go with three steals and a block. Donnelly played off the bench yet again and assisted on a career-best three scores. Against Cal-Lutheran, Wurtz netted three times and the Rams defense continued to perform in stopping its opponent in the final frame.
Fordham has six days off before a Wednesday night clash at St. Francis Brooklyn before a road trip to Iona a week later. The match against the Terriers next week is slated to begin at 7:30 p.m.
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