It was a big weekend for the Gannon University men’s water polo team. The Knights hosted and won the CWPA Division II Eastern Championship Tournament. Gannon encountered a daunting foe in their crosstown rival Mercyhurst and pulled out a thrilling 8-7 win.
Tensions were high at the start of the match, and the Lakers took advantage of the Knights’ missed opportunities to lead 4-1. The Knights were not being outplayed, though, and despite Mercyhurst’s 6-2 lead at the end of the second quarter, Gannon didn’t succumb to the pressure of facing a four point deficit.
The Lakers scored one more goal in the third quarter, but Gannon’s defense shut them down for good. The Knights left their nerves in the first half of the game and never looked back, as they relaxed and began to tighten their defense and blocking. Two Gannon points were scored in the third quarter, and the morale propelled the team powerfully into the fourth.
The Knights began making drives through the middle, bringing the defenders down and leaving freshman starter Gilberto Millan open.
Millan was able to tie the game with three goals, and finally scored the game- winning fourth point. Senior captain Nathan Beam said he was thrilled to take down the Lakers for the first time in four years.
“We showed a lot of heart,” Beam said. “Our defense stayed strong and stopped the Lakers’ offense.”
This win not only marked a long-overdue victory over Mercyhurst, but more importantly, secured the first CWPA Division II Eastern Championship win for the Knights in the program history.
Coach Don Sherman said he couldn’t be more proud of his team and its big win.
“This game was really exciting for us,” Sherman said. “The feeling in the room was electric.
“The boys were down by four and never gave up. They put the pressure on, and that just shows the character of the team.”
EMMA SCIULLO
