Men's Water Polo Rebounds With Two Wins to Close Out Bison Invitational

The Fordham Men's Water Polo team rebounded from two tough losses to nationally ranked programs yesterday at the Bison Invitational with wins over Mercyhurst and George Washington. The Rams combined for 24 goals after just nine on Saturday. With the wins, head coach Bill Harris' men improve to 4-4 on the young season.
 
Fordham raced out to a 5-1 lead after one quarter, including five straight, with goals from senior captain Bobby Wurtz, R.J. Simmons, Magnus Sims, and two from freshman Diego Delgado. Both Sims' and Delgado's (second) strike came on penalties late in the frame with the latter occurring with one second remaining.
 
Wurtz added two more in the second period along with a strike from Delgado to give him a hat trick in the match. The Rams led 8-3 at the break.
 
Alex Jahns played over three quarters in net and made seven saves before being replaced by Bryce Charles.
 
Both teams combined for 22 ejections but struggled to find goals while up a man with just one late goal by Mercyhurst being the only one between the two schools.
 
"That was a good win. After yesterday's struggles with scoring, it was good to see our guys find the net often. Hopefully that carries over into the match against George Washington." Harris said between contests.
 
It was a very tight battle against George Washington in the afternoon contests. Harris elected to play just ten total players throughout the course of the match. It worked with the Rams taking a 12-8 decision.
 
Fordham and the Colonials finished the first frame tied at three. George Washington started things off with two ejection goals before the Rams answered with one of their own by Andrew Gonzalez. Simmons gave his team a brief lead later with two goals from open play.
 
Wurtz broke the 3-3 deadlock with two early second period goals but George Washington equalized shortly thereafter, including one after Sims had been ejected. Although the Colonials would net once more before the interval, Simmons added another and Gonzalez's second while a man up gave the designated visitors the lead at the half.
 
George Washington would equalize again within a minute of the restart after Sims again found himself ejected but Simmons proved to be the difference with two goals over the remaining third period minutes. The Rams would not relinquish their lead after going up 9-7.
 
Patrick Reyes and Patrick Lenihan each tallied their only goals of the game in the fourth to extend the team's lead and the Rams would close out yet another tight contest.
 
Jahns played all four quarters in net and made eight saves.
 
Simmons matched a career-high with the five goals against George Washington and paced the team with six on the day.  
 
"We played really well yet again against George Washington. We did a nice job on defense, we kept counter attacking, and really closed down their top scorers." Harris said.
 
Fordham play host in the Bronx next weekend to begin conference play against M.I.T. and Connecticut College on Saturday, September 26, and Harvard and Brown on Sunday.