Water Polo Outlasts Harvard, 16-15

Bronx, N.Y. – (September 15, 2024) – The nationally ranked Fordham water polo team had a dog fight on their hands on Sunday afternoon at the Col. Francis B. Messmore Aquatic Center, but eventually came out on top, 16-15, over #15/16 Harvard.
 
The contest went back and forth in the first quarter with the score tied at four with 1:15 left in the period, before Fordham picked up an extra-man goal by Marco Napolitano and a penalty shot goal by Luca Provenziani in the final minute for a 6-4 lead.
 
The Rams then built up to a 10-5 advantage in the second quarter for their largest lead of the game.  However, Harvard scored twice to end the half and then scored the opening two goals in the third to pull within one, 10-9.
 
The teams exchanged goals throughout the third quarter, leaving the score at 13-12 in favor of Fordham, entering the final period.
 
In the final frame, Andras Toth and George Papanikolaou each pumped in a goal in the first few minutes to get the lead back to three, 15-12, with 5:10 left.  Harvard cut the lead back to two, but Toth got the Rams back to a three-goal edge with 3:30 remaining before the Crimson cut the lead to one with only 16 seconds left.
 
Fordham was able to hold out the final ticks for the 16-15 win.
 
Luca Silvestri had a team-best three goals on the day for Fordham, while Toth, Provenziani, Jacopo Parrella, and Lucas Nieto Jasny each had a pair of markers.  In goal, Thomas Lercari made eight saves in net to go with two assists and a steal.
 
The win puts Fordham at 5-0 to start the season for the first time since 1973.
 
Fordham will have four matches next weekend at the Bison Invitational, three of which will be MAWPC league contests.  The Rams will play Mt. St. Mary's (10:00 AM) and Bucknell (3:20 PM) on Saturday, September 21^st, while facing Johns Hopkins (10:40 AM) and Salem (2:40 PM) on Sunday, September 22^nd.