Lewisburg, Pa. – The Fordham water polo team opened play at the Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Championship on Friday at Bucknell's Kinney Natatorium in the 4-5 match-up against Wagner College. The Rams got four goals from
R.J. Simmons to lead Fordham to a 9-7 victory over the Seahawks, reaching the MAWPC Championship semifinal on Saturday.
The win improved Fordham to 15-12 on the season.
Fordham opened with a 2-1 lead after the first quarter, courtesy of an extra-man goal by R.j. Simmons and a penalty shot goal by
Jake Miller-Tolt.
The Rams increased the lead to 3-1 on an early tally by Simmons, but Wagner netted the final two goals of the period to tie the game at three by halftime.
In the third quarter, the Seahawks netted the first three goals of the frame to take a 6-3 lead. The Rams fought back though, scoring the next four goals to end up with a 7-6 edge, going into the final period. Miller-Tolt and
Ian Watson scored back-to-back even-strength markers to get Fordham within one, while
Cameron Shewchuck and
Tristen Knoflick scored on the man-up advantage to put the Rams in the lead.
Tristen Knoflick
In the final period, Wagner knotted the game at seven on their first possession, however, Fordham got two goals from Simmons at the 5:38 and 3:57 marks to pull out the 9-7 win.
For Fordham, Simmons had a match-high four goals, while Miller-Tolt had two. Knoflick, Shewchuck, and Watson rounded out the Fordham scoring with
Cole Donnelly adding three steals.
Alex Jahns played the entire game in net, making nine saves to go with two steals.
The Fordham water polo team now moves onto the MAWPC Championship semifinals against host school and 12
th-ranked Bucknell at 4:30 PM on Saturday.
