The Gannon University men’s water polo team extended its school-record winning streak to 10 games over the weekend with a sweep of its three-game Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference slate at Washington & Jefferson College.
Prior to the sweep, the Knights added two more exhibition wins, beating Mt. San Antonio, 22-19 and 15-12, as they celebrated Senior Night for Michael Squeglia, Marko Sadikovic and Nicholas Fagen.
Sadikovic and Squeglia contributed four goals each in game one while Fagen had an impressive four goals in one quarter.
Following the two games, the men had a break until Saturday when they travelled to Washington, Pa., and beat LaSalle University, 18-8.
Freshman Jack Donnelly scored his first of five goals 44 seconds into the match, helping push the Knights to a 5-1 lead after the first quarter.
Gannon led 6-3 at halftime and kept its foot on the gas, going on a 5-0 run in the third quarter to extend its lead to 11-3.
Freshman Vladimir Diaz and junior Jacob Rehrer contributed two goals apiece in the seven-point spread of the fourth to cap the 18-8 victory, tying the second largest win margin of the season.
Later that afternoon, the Knights took to the waters again in a matchup that didn’t come as easy as the first. However, the men still managed to pull a 15-14 win over Salem International University in their second match against the team this season.
Again Donnelly scored the first goal for the Knights and followed it up with the second. Gannon was slow to find the back of the net as Salem led 3-1 after one quarter.
Scoring continued to go back and forth and got intense in the fourth quarter. With the Knights trailing 13-12, Marko Sadikovic netted the tying goal and junior Gilberto Millan hammered in the go-ahead goal to help the Knights earn the 15-14 win.
The last match for Gannon in the MAWPC weekend was an 11-9 victory over host Washington & Jefferson.
Donnelly, in his usual fashion scored the first two goals of the opening quarter.
Gannon’s first lead of the night came in the second quarter as Millan scored in the eighth minute of play.
Squeglia saw some action as he closed out the second quarter with back-to-back goals, flexing his seniority over the Presidents.
Gannon kept it going from there as Millan scored both goals of the fourth quarter to move to ninth on Gannon’s all-time career goals list with 109.
Sophomore goalie Bret Rehrer defended the net for the Knights and did so diligently, posting 24 saves against W&J, second-most this season.
Gannon returns to action Sunday, taking on Salem at 9 a.m. and rival Mercyhurst at 3 p.m. Both matches will be played at Cathedral Prep’s David M. Hallman III Aquatics Center in Erie.
BRANDON JACES
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