Men's Water Polo Competes in Salem, W. VA

SALEM, W. Va - The Penn State Behrend men's water polo team traveled south over the weekend, falling to Gannon 19-9 and Connecticut College 18-11.

Isaak Hatopp (Saline, MI/Saline) and Andre Sardaryzadeh (Murrieta, CA/Elsinore) led the way for the Lions over the two-game stretch. Hatopp recorded seven goals and five steals while Sardaryzadeh had seven steals and recorded six goals. 

On saturday, Gannon started the match on an 8-0 run before Hatopp put Behrend on the board early in the second quarter. The Knights would go on to score three more goals before the end of the second, leading the Lions 11-2.

Behrend started to mount a comeback in the third quarter when Troy Valkusky (Drifton, PA/Hazelton), Mike Geary (Erie, PA/Mercyhurst Prep), Hatopp, and Sardaryzadeh each recorded goals, making the score 15-8 going in to the final quarter. Gannon went on to outscore the Lions 4-1 and fininsh the game with a 19-9 win.

On Sunday morning, Behrend took on Connecticut College in a very close match. The Lions and Camels were neck and neck through the first two quarters before a 7-2 third quarter helped Connecticut College pull away from Behrend.

Goals were exchanged in the first quarter of action. Hatopp scored three while Sardaryzadeh and Valkusky each added one, helping the Lions enter the second quarter only down one goal. Kyle Frerichs (Sellersville, PA/Pennridge) netted two goals in the second to make it a 10-7 game. The Camels, however, scored seven goals in the third to give them a comfortable 17-9 lead heading in the the final eight minutes of play.

Behrend would find the back of the net only two more times in the fouth quarter, falling short by a score of 18-11

The Lions will be back in action when they travel to Claremont, CA on October, 7th to compete in the Gary Troyer Tournament. Game one will feature the Lions and Cal Tech Beavers starting at noon.