Men’s Water Polo Defeats No. 18 Princeton with Late Goals, 10-8

Saturday, November 2

Providence, RI

1:00 PM

Brown University

Princeton University

Men’s Water Polo Defeats No. 18 Princeton with Late Goals, 10-8

11/2/2019 3:03:00 PM | Men's Water Polo

Results

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Freshman Cole Atwell scored the go-ahead goal with 48 seconds remaining, and junior goalkeeper Riad Hallal made 14 saves as Brown University men's water polo defeated No. 18 Princeton University, 10-8, on Saturday afternoon at the Katherine Moran Coleman Aquatics Center.

With the score knotted at 8-8 inside of the final minute, the Bears (17-10, 3-3 NWPC) scored twice inside of the final 48 seconds to even the season series with the visiting Tigers (12-13, 4-2 NWPC) at 1-1.

"This was a really well-played game by both teams," Brown head coach Felix Mercado said. "Princeton is a tremendous program, and for us to win today shows how much work we have put in this season. We're happy to come away with the win today and looking forward to two more league games tomorrow."

Atwell (San Diego, Calif.) totaled four points on two goals and two assists while senior James Thygesen (Menlo Park, Calif.) notched four points on three goals and one assist.

Sophomore Matt Simko (Coral Gables, Fla.) registered a goal and three ejections drawn, and junior Aidan Reilly (Los Angeles, Calif.) contributed a goal and an assist. Senior Armen Deirmenjian (Beverly Hills, Calif.), sophomore Andrew Penner (Atherton, Calif.), and freshman Leo Berkman (Orinda, Calif.) each netted one goal.

Hallal posted his ninth double-figure save performance of the season behind his 14 stops.

Brown took a 2-1 lead at the end of the first quarter behind goals from Atwell and Berkman.

After a Princeton goal opened the second quarter, Simko pushed Brown back ahead 3-2. Later in the frame, a 5-meter penalty goal from Reilly kept the Bears up 4-3. The Tigers knotted the score at 4-4 with 15 seconds left in the half, but Deirmenjian lofted a shot into the goal as time expired to give Brown a 5-4 lead at the break.

Thygesen initiated the second half's scoring, staking the Bears to a 6-4 edge. Princeton responded with back-to-back goals to tie the score at 6-6. A goal from Penner on a counter provided Brown with a 7-6 advantage heading to the fourth quarter.

After the Tigers equalized at 7-7, a goal from Thygesen pushed Brown back ahead 8-7 with 6:15 left. Princeton tied it again at 8-8, but Atwell lifted the Bears ahead, 9-8, driving a shot from beyond five meters into the back of the net. Thygesen added an empty-net insurance goal with 10 seconds to go.

Brown evened the season series with Princeton after the Bears dropped a 12-9 decision to the Tigers on Oct. 6.

Next, Brown hosts two NWPC games tomorrow – Sunday, Nov. 3 – against No. 17 St. Francis Brooklyn at 10:00 a.m. (ESPN+) and Iona at 3:00 p.m. (ESPN+) in the team's Senior Game.

Brown 10, Princeton 8
Brown....................... 2…3…2…3…10
Princeton.................. 1…3…2…2…8
Brown Goals: Thygesen 3, Atwell 2, Berkman, Deirmenjian, Penner, Reilly, Simko.
Brown Saves: Hallal 14.