Men's Water Polo Takes Third at DIII Eastern Championships
The Penn State Behrend men’s water polo team took third place at the Division III Eastern Championships on Saturday at the Junker Center. The Lions posted a 1-1 record and placed four players on the All-Tournament team, while Head Coach Joe Tristan earned Coach of the Year honors.
ERIE, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend men's water polo team took third place at the Division III Eastern Championships on Saturday at the Junker Center. The Lions posted a 1-1 record and placed four players on the All-Tournament team, while Head Coach Joe Tristan earned Coach of the Year honors.
The Lions dropped their first match to fifth-ranked Johns Hopkins, 20-6. Nich Pabich (Lake Forest, IL/Lake Forest) and Justin Vink (Los Angeles, CA/Granada Hills Charter) each scored two goals. Kody Veit (Harleysville, PA/Souderton) and Jake Salsgiver (Long Beach, CA/Wilson Classical) tallied one goal apiece for Behrend.
The Blue Jays were able to take a commanding 9-2 lead in the first quarter and hold the Lions scoreless in the second for a 14-2 lead at halftime. Behrend added two more goals in each quarter for the final margin, 20-6.
In the third-place game, the Lions never trailed Connecticut College for an 11-9 win. Behrend had two different players score, including four goals from Ali Khan (Lake Zurich, IL/Stevenson) and a hat trick from Wes Atkinson (Camarillo, CA/Rio Mesa). Pabich combined his first two goals with another two goals for four on the day, while Veit tallied a pair of goals.
The Lions outscored Connecticut 3-1 in the first quarter and just 2-1 in the second. In high scoring third quarter, the visitor got the best of Behrend with a 5-4 edge but it wasn't enough to defeat the Lions after a 2-2 fourth quarter.
Khan and Veit were named to the All-Tournament first team and Pabich and goalie Hunter Backenstose (Downingtown, PA/Downingtown East) were chose to the second team.
The Lions return to action tomorrow against Salem International at 12 p.m. in the DII vs. DIII Cross-Over.
