Bronx, N.Y. – (November 8, 2024) – The #3/4 Fordham water polo team checked off two more items on its to-do list on Saturday after posting three victories at the Col. Francis B. Messmore Aquatic Center, as the Rams took down Bucknell, Mercyhurst, and Mt. St. Mary's.
With the three wins, Fordham locked down the #1 seed at the 2024 MAWPC Championship, which will be held November 22-24 at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. The second item on the checklist was completing an undefeated regular season at 28-0 overall, 14-0 in the MAWPC, as the Rams' final two games are now exhibition contests and will not count toward the team's record.
Saturday started with a 17-7 win over the Bucknell Bison.
Fordham opened the scoring with the first three goals of the match and finished ahead by four, 5-1, at the end of the first quarter.
The teams exchanged two goals a piece in the second quarter for a 7-3 halftime score, before the Rams put the hammer down in the third and fourth quarters. Fordham scored five times in the third and five in the fourth, compared to just four markers in the half for Bucknell.
The Rams were led offensively by
Luca Provenziani, who had four goals, three assists, and two steals, while
George Papanikolaou had two goals, three assists, and three steals.
Andras Toth and
Jacopo Parrella also netted two goals each with
Thomas Lercari having 14 saves, three assists, and two steals in goal.
In game two, it was all Fordham in a 26-4 win over Mercyhurst.
The Rams outscored the Lakers, 9-0, in the first quarter and never looked back.
15 Fordham players scored in the game, led by
Jagger McMannis, who tied a career-high with four goals, while Provenziani also had a hat trick.
James Oriskovich,
Gabriel Melillo,
Mark Katsev, Parrella,
Tyler Fahey, and
Marco Napolitano also had two goals each with Parrella adding three assists. In net, Lercari,
Kristof Magony, and
Reggie Robles all split time, combining for 13 saves, two assists, and three penalty blocks.
In the final match of the day, Fordham honored its senior class, and the group responded by leading the team to a 28-8 win over Mt. St. Mary's.
The Rams outscored the Mountaineers, 7-0, in the first quarter, and then padded the lead with seven markers in each of the final three frames.
Playing in his final home game, Parrella finished with five goals, two assists, and two steals, while
Luca Silvestri had four goals. Papanikolaou had two goals, two assists, and three steals, with
Lucas Nieto Jasny having three goals, two assists, and two steals. The other Ram seniors to find the back of the net included Katsev with a goal and two assists and
Paul Armingol with a goal and five assists.
The Rams conclude the regular season with two exhibition games on the road next weekend against Connecticut College (Nov. 15) and Brown (Nov. 16).
Gallery: (11-9-2024) Water Polo Senior Day
