No. 9 men’s water polo starts 3–0 in conference play with home sweep

“Maybe from the outside, nobody thinks we can do this,” interim head coach Derek Ellingson told The Daily Princetonian. “Maybe nobody believes it’s possible. But that doesn’t matter, because the only people who need to believe are the guys in that locker room, and they believe in each other.”

Back at DeNunzio Pool for the start of conference play, No. 9 men’s water polo (14–1 overall, 3–0 Northeast Water Polo Conference) swept the competition in its three-game weekend matchup. The Tigers smothered their Ivy League rival Harvard (5–10, 2–1) 15–8 on Saturday, followed by another victory against MIT (5–9, 1–2) 20–14 that evening. To end it off, Princeton defeated Brown (13–3, 2–1) 16–8 on Sunday.

Sophomore utility Otto Stothart led the way on Saturday with four goals in each game, while first-year utility Tibi Cojocariu added five across the two wins. Against Brown, junior attacker Tas Palcza led the Tigers with four goals.

Third-quarter resurgence sinks Harvard

As the opening whistle blew, Stothart scored an early goal for the Tigers, and from there, Princeton would never trail behind.

Harvard utility Jack Burghardt, last season’s NWPC Most Valuable Player, answered with an equalizer, and both teams traded goals until Cojocariu put the Tigers ahead 3–2 on a power play.

But late in the first, the score appeared to go right back even as Crimson attacker Lukas Peabody tied the game at 3–3. However, the officials waved off the goal for a two-meter violation, and moments after, first-year utility Boti Kovács raced the other way for a 4–2 lead.

As the quarters continued, Harvard kept answering back. Crimson attacker Dean Strauser scored three first-half goals, the last being a redirect that tied the game again at 5–5 in the second quarter.

With the Crimson threatening to take their first lead, senior goalkeeper Kristóf Kovács blocked a cross-cage shot, and junior attacker Nathan Banos turned the save into a counterattack goal.

Shortly after, junior utility Gavin Appeldorn’s steal then set up sophomore attacker Taylor Bell for a 7–5 halftime lead.

With this momentum, the Tigers took control for the remainder of the match. Right into the third quarter, Stothart drilled a quick goal, and junior attacker Ádám Peocz converted on a five-meter penalty.

Afterward, Stothart scored twice more, putting the Orange and Black on a 6–0 scoring run and the game at 11–6 to end the third.

In the fourth, the Crimson’s struggles continued as they failed to close the scoring gap. The Tigers outscored them 4–2, closing the match at 15–8.

Princeton makes 20 against MIT

With the rival victory, the Tigers sought a second against the Engineers.

In the opening minutes of the first quarter, the Tigers built up a 4–0 lead with goals from senior utilities Finn LeSieur, Stothart, Peocz, and senior attacker William Swart.

In the cage, sophomore goalkeeper Pierre du Plessis stopped MIT’s first power play, and Stothart later powered through a swarm of MIT defenders at the center for a comfortable 6–2 lead to end the first.

Desperate to close the scoring gap, MIT turned to its goalkeeper Joshua Woren, who made a much-needed save and an outlet pass for an Engineer goal. In response, Appeldorn walked in a shot from seven meters for a 9–4 lead.

But the Engineers weren’t giving up that easily, as they pulled the score to 9–6 throughout the second.

In the final minutes of the half, Stothart re-extended the Tiger lead, scoring twice more for an 11–6 lead.

As the third came around, the Engineers cut the deficit to 12–8 as center Andras Beleznay and attacker William Ewald each completed hat tricks.

Peocz then answered with two goals in the final minute of the quarter, starting a 5–0 run that carried into the fourth.

Bell opened the final quarter with back-to-back skip shots, and Swart lobbed a shot over Woren for a massive 17–8 lead.

With such a significant scoring gap, Princeton brought in first-year goalkeeper Gus von Metzsch, marking his collegiate debut. Junior utility Andrew Tu scored his first goal of the season, and junior attacker Joseph Hwang scored his first career goal, finishing the match at 20–14.

Dominant win to close NWPC opening weekend

Eager to win it all, the Orange and Black showed no remorse. Although the Bears struck first, with attacker Mac Berry scoring less than a minute in, junior attacker Enrique Nuño and Palcza responded right back for a 2–1 Tiger lead.

In the second, the Bears scored on back-to-back two-man advantages, putting them up 3–2. But the Tigers’ ferocity and teamwork produced five straight goals.

Peocz scored three, including a five-meter penalty, and Appeldorn added the other two, firing through three defenders for a 7–3 lead.

After another Brown goal, Stothart tipped in a lob pass from Appeldorn to close the half up 8–4.

The Princeton momentum continued to run hot in the second half. With Stothart adding a backhand and Palcza completing a hat trick on a power play, the Tigers extended the lead to 11–4.

Despite Brown’s desperate attempts, they could only cut the deficit to five with the third quarter ending 11–6.

As the final quarter began, the Tigers put the game away by working the shot clock. Appeldorn and Palcza each scored one while Bell converted a penalty shot for a 14–6 lead.

Cojocariu and Appeldorn also added two late goals and sealed the game at 16–8.

“The guys have been incredible,” said Ellingson. “They’ve been through so much over the last month, and somehow, they’ve continued to show up every day, fight for each other, and come out stronger on the other side.”

The Tigers go back on the road on Saturday, Oct. 10, for games against Fordham, Iona, and LIU.

Andrew Kang is an assistant Sports editor for the ‘Prince.’

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