Men's Water Polo Takes Third at DIII Eastern Championships

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.