Brown University
Princeton
Men's Water Polo Claims CWPA Title, NCAA Bid with 7-6 Win over Princeton
11/23/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Senior Henry Fox scored three goals, and junior Will Klein netted the game-winning goal with 2:20 left as Brown University men's water polo beat Princeton, 7-6, to win its first CWPA title since 1985 and earn its first NCAA bid since 1990.
In the championship game of the Collegiate Water Polo Association Championship, the top-seeded and No. 11-ranked Bears (27-6) beat the second-seeded and No. 8-ranked Tigers (23-4) at Navy's Lejeune Hall on Sunday to claim the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.
Klein (Pasadena, Calif.) scored the game's deciding tally with just over two minutes remaining off an assist from junior Matty Gallas (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) after the Bears called a timeout.
Fox (Mercer Island, Wash.), the MVP of the tournament, came up with a steal, and sophomore goalie Luke Weiser (Los Alamitos, Calif.) made a save down the stretch to seal the win for the Bears.
With the score tied at 5-5 heading into the fourth quarter, Fox scored a goal at the 5:44 mark of the final period to put Brown up 6-5. The Tigers knotted the game at 6-6 with 3:22 to go, but Klein's goal, and the team's defensive play propelled the Bears to the victory.
Fox, who was also a first team all-tournament selection, increased his total to 11 goals over three games at the tournament with his three tallies. He added two steals against the Tigers.
Weiser, a second team all-tournament selection along with Klein, garnered his third win at the championship, recording eight saves and two steals in the title game.
Senior Nick Deaver (Orinda, Calif.) notched a game-high five steals to go with a goal and an assist, Gallas contributed a goal and an assist, and freshman Tyler Kirchberg (Orinda, Calif.) registered a goal, an assist, and two steals.
Brown head coach Felix Mercado gained Dick Russell Coach of the Tournament accolades in guiding the Bears to three consecutive wins and avenging a 9-7 setback to the Tigers on Oct. 19.
Brown opened the game with a 3-0 lead behind a pair of penalty shot goals from Fox and a tally from Deaver. The Tigers scored inside the last minute of the first quarter to pull within 3-1 heading into the second period.
Gallas pushed Brown's lead to 4-1 early in the second quarter off an assist from Deaver before the Tigers scored twice before the half to come within 4-3 at the second intermission.
Kirchberg netted a goal to start the third quarter before the Tigers scored twice in the third frame to set up the final quarter's action.
The NCAA Championship will begin with a play-in round on Nov. 29 with sites to be determined before the semifinals and finals on Dec. 6 and 7 respectively at UC San Diego's Canyonview Pool in San Diego, Calif.
Brown 7, Princeton 6
Princeton.................. 1…2…2…1…6
Brown....................... 3…1…1…2…7
Brown Goals: Fox (3), Deaver, Gallas, Kirchberg, Klein.
