Men’s Water Polo Defeats MIT, 17-12, Falls to No. 10 Harvard, 12-5

Saturday, October 12

Providence, RI

11:00 AM

Brown University

Harvard University

Men’s Water Polo Defeats MIT, 17-12, Falls to No. 10 Harvard, 12-5

10/12/2019 12:55:00 PM | Men's Water Polo

Harvard Results MIT Results

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Brown University men's water polo defeated MIT, 17-12, after falling to No. 10 Harvard University, 12-5, in a pair of Northeast Water Polo Conference games on Saturday at the Katherine Moran Coleman Aquatics Center.

Playing in their first home league games of the year, the Bears (10-8, 2-3 NWPC) topped the Engineers (6-4, 1-3 NWPC) – the No. 3 ranked team in the CWPA Division III Poll – after dropping a decision to the undefeated and nationally ranked Crimson (13-0, 4-0 NWPC).

"Beating a strong MIT team was a good way to end the day," Brown head coach Felix Mercado said. "We'll use our next two non-conference weekends to make improvements for when we face both of these teams again later in the season."

Freshman Leo Berkman (Orinda, Calif.) totaled four goals between the two games while senior James Thygesen (Menlo Park, Calif.) tallied nine points on three goals and six assists on the day. Junior goalie Riad Hallal (Coronado, Calif.) made 13 saves against MIT while sophomore net-minder Ugo Piovan (Vouliagmeni, Greece) stopped 11 shots against Harvard.

After the day's games, the Bears held a reception and dinner as they honored Luke Weiser '17 and Richard Robb '75, P'08, P'14 with the H. Stanton and Marjorie B. Smith Trophy for their exceptional performance, spirit, character and leadership on behalf of Brown water polo.

Next, Brown competes at the Harvard Invitational with match-ups against Wagner (Oct. 18, 8:00 p.m.), No. 18 Pomona-Pitzer (Oct. 19, 12:45 p.m.), La Salle (Oct. 19, 5:45 p.m.), and No. 14 George Washington (Oct. 20, 2:15 p.m.).

Game 1 – No. 10 Harvard 12, Brown 5

Sophomore Matt Simko scored two goals, and sophomore goalkeeper Ugo Piovan made 11 saves, but Brown fell to No. 10 Harvard, 12-5, in its first game of the day on Saturday morning.

Playing in their NWPC home opener, the Bears remained within 6-4 of the Crimson at halftime before the visitors outscored the hosts 6-1 in the second half.

Simko (Coral Gables, Fla.) drew two ejections alongside his two goals while freshman Leo Berkman (Orinda, Calif.) posted a goal, two assists, and two ejections drawn.

Senior Hudson Rawlings (Murrieta, Calif.) tallied a goal and two ejections drawn, senior James Thygesen (Menlo Park, Calif.) scored a goal, and senior Armen Deirmenjian (Beverly Hills, Calif.) and sophomore Niko Bhatia (Los Altos, Calif.) each totaled an assist and three ejections drawn.

In the cage, Piovan (Vouliagmeni, Greece) registered his third double-figure save performance of the season and his second such game in a row behind his 11 stops.

The Bears answered each of the Crimson's goals in the first quarter as the two sides remained tied 2-2 at the end of the opening stanza. Simko netted Brown's first goal off a feed from Bhatia before Berkman scored the team's second goal off an assist from Deirmenjian.

After Harvard netted the second quarter's initial goal, Thygesen brought the Bears level again, scoring off a feed from Berkman on the power play to even the score at 3-3. Following a 3-0 run for the Crimson, Simko stopped the run with a goal with 22 seconds left in the half off a pass from Berkman, trimming Brown's deficit to 6-4 at the break.

The Crimson tallied the first three goals of the second half, pulling ahead 9-4 at the 3:24 mark of the third quarter. A goal from Rawlings off a rebound sliced the margin to 9-5 before Harvard took a 10-5 edge into the fourth quarter. The visitors netted the only two markers of the final stanza.

Harvard 12, Brown 5
Brown....................... 2…2…1…0…5
Harvard.................... 2…4…4…2…12
Brown Goals: Simko 2, Berkman, Rawlings, Thygesen.
Brown Saves: Piovan 11.

Game 2 – Brown 17, MIT 12

Junior Adam Fuller and freshmen Cole Atwell and Leo Berkman all netted hat tricks, as Brown defeated MIT, 17-12, in its second game of the day on Saturday evening.

The Bears used a 9-1 run to turn a 3-3 tie late in the first quarter into a 12-4 advantage early in the third quarter on their way to the victory over the visiting Engineers.

Atwell (San Diego, Calif.) added two assists and two steals to his three goals while Berkman (Orinda, Calif.) tacked on an assist and five ejections drawn to his three goals. Fuller (Santa Barbara, Calif.) completed the triumvirate of three-goal scorers.

Senior James Thygesen (Menlo Park, Calif.) totaled eight points on two goals and six assists while senior Armen Deirmenjian (Beverly Hills, Calif.) compiled a goal, two assists, and three steals.

Senior Hudson Rawlings (Murrieta, Calif.), junior Aidan Reilly (Los Angeles, Calif.), and sophomores Niko Bhatia (Los Altos, Calif.), Andrew Penner (Atherton, Calif.), and Matt Simko (Coral Gables, Fla.) each scored one goal. Reilly and Rawlings each chipped in an assist while Simko drew three ejections.

In the cage, junior goalie Riad Hallal (Coronado, Calif.) tallied 13 saves for his seventh double-figure save effort of the year.

In a back-and forth first quarter, Brown emerged with a 4-3 lead at the end of one behind two goals from Fuller and a marker each from Bhatia and Simko.

Fuller's last goal of the first quarter began the Bears' 9-1 run as tallies from Berkman and Fuller gave Brown a 6-3 edge in the second stanza. After an MIT goal, Brown closed the half with three straight goals from Thygesen, Reilly, and Berkman, pushing the hosts ahead 9-4.

Opening the third quarter, goals from Rawlings, Atwell, and Penner completed the 9-1 run, giving the Bears a 12-4 advantage. Markers from Berkman and Atwell helped Brown maintain a 14-9 edge heading to the fourth quarter.

After MIT sliced the margin to 14-11, consecutive goals from Thygesen, Atwell, and Deirmenjian pushed Brown back up 17-11 before the Engineers netted the game's final tally.

Brown 17, MIT 12
Brown....................... 4…5…5…3…17
MIT............................ 3…1…5…3…12
Brown Goals: Atwell 3, Berkman 3, Fuller 3, Thygesen 2, Bhatia, Deirmenjian, Penner, Rawlings, Reilly, Simko.
Brown Saves: Hallal 13.